Hysteric Birthday Chronicles
by JLCHailstorm71
Summary: Sachiko's birthday has finally come, and she wants to celebrate with the inhabitants of Heavenly Host, including the Nine of Kisaragi Academy and a certain green-haired Knight of the Covenant.
1. Chapter 1: A Slight Change in Demeanor

DISCLAIMER: CORPSE PARTY AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY TEAM GRISGRIS/GRINDHOUSE. **_MY ORIGINAL CHARACTER, PACKER, IS OWNED BY ME._**

**Author's Note: **Welcome everyone to my second story. This time, we're going to be delving into the world of the Hysteric Birthday storyline, which really hasn't been covered much on the site, which is a real shame, considering the game is funny as all hell. XD Well, it's high time I changed all of that, so here we go.

This introductory chapter might be a little short, but hopefully, it will wet your whistle for what is about to come. Enjoy.

* * *

**_CHAPTER 1: A SLIGHT CHANGE IN DEMEANOR_**

There exists an organization, deep within the Presidio in the heart of San Francisco, which is said to house the best warriors in the world, warriors imbued with supernatural powers. An organization known as **the Covenant.**

Among these warriors, known as the Knights of the Covenant, is a young man known only as **Packer**, considered by his peers as the best Knight of the Covenant. He never knew who his parents were, as he was orphaned as a child. After many orphanages took him in, he was eventually taken in by the Covenant at a young age when it was discovered he possessed supernatural powers, which wasn't so unusual for the Covenant. What was unusual was the fact that the young boy seemed to be able to wield several different elements. A majority of the Knights each had one element they specialized in, but Packer was able to wield the powers of all eight elements: fire, ice, lightning, wind, earth, water, darkness and light, which no other Knight could do. In fact, Packer's supernatural abilities were so unusually powerful, he was given the nickname **'The Anomaly Among Anomalies'**.

It was a rainy night in early August, when Packer had a very lucid dream, or so he thought. In this so-called dream, he witnessed a group of people, what he assumed to be Japanese high school students, become trapped in what appeared to be a rundown elementary school. There were nine people in all: seven high-schoolers, a junior high student, and a teacher's assistant. He watched as most of the group met with violent, gruesome deaths. In the end, only two students managed to escape the school, but had suffered severe trauma from the excursion.

After experiencing this dream several times over, he learned that the reason the people in his dream, which he dubbed "the Nine", were sent to the hellacious school was because they had failed some kind of ritual, but the details were still kind of vague. Eventually, he would bring up the matter to the head of the Knights of the Covenant, High Master Jericho. It was then he learned the true nature of his dreams.

According to Jericho, he was not experiencing dreams, like he first thought, but were in fact premonitions of the future, stemming from his Future Sight ability. Packer relayed that he also knew the name of the school that the Nine had been sent to after piecing together various portions of his dreams. Known as Heavenly Host Elementary, it was torn down several decades ago after many unfortunate accidents occurred there. Jericho also informed Packer that if the events he had been dreaming of were left unchecked, it could cause irreparable damage to the space-time continuum. Packer's mission was to get all the members of the Nine out alive.

In due time, he would become fast friends with the Nine, before eventually, they all plummeted into the hell known as Heavenly Host Elementary, due to failing to properly execute the charm known as 'Sachiko Ever After'. During the ordeal, Packer would call upon his supernatural powers to help the Nine escape from the school, and ultimately sacrificed his powers to revive Seiko, whom had been killed by her best friend Naomi while under the possession of the Darkening. Ultimately, Packer had successfully completed his mission, and the Nine were free to live their lives in the manner they should have.

But what if a different scenario happened, a scenario that happened on a very particular day for Heavenly Host's ultimate master? This is where the **Hysteric Birthday Chronicles** begin. This is the telling of those stories…

* * *

As thunder flashed in the sky, inside Heavenly Host Elementary's Infirmary, a girl in a red dress stared blankly up at a clock on the wall.

"**Soon… soon…" **she mumbled to herself. **"Five more seconds… 4… 3… 2… 1…"**

Suddenly, there was another flash of lightning, and the girl grunted as a sharp pain shot through her. Falling to her knees, she tumbled forward into darkness.

After a few minutes, the three accursed children who had been killed by the girl in the red dress, Ryou, Tokiko and Yuki, surrounded the girl, a look of worry in her their eyes. Yuki reaches down and touches the girl, trying to wake her, when suddenly, the girl's arm snakes out and grabs Yuki's arm in a firm grip. Yuki gasps as she notices the girl now staring at her with bloodshot eyes. Yuki whimpers in fear, but then, she notices an unusual change in the girl in the red dress. Her face softens, and she gives a Yuki a big smile.

"**Yuki-Chan, good morning!" **the girl exclaims. Yuki lets out a small giggle. Ryou and Tokiko give a smile back to the girl.

"**Good morning to you as well, Sachiko-sama," **Yuki replied.

As they looked up at the calendar, the paper showing the old date fell off onto the floor, revealing the new date: July 19th. Sachiko let out a hearty laugh.

"**Hooray! My birthday is here again!" **she yelled with glee.

"**Congratulations!" **the cursed children exclaimed, although in Tokiko's case, it came out as a series of gurgling sounds due to not having her head past her jaw-line. Sachiko let out a small giggle.

"**Thank you, everyone," **she thanked them.

Just then, a series of happy moans sounded behind them. The children turned to see the towering form of Yoshikazu, Sachiko's attack dog, as she calls him.

"**Hey, big dumb! Is everything ready to go?" **Sachiko asked. Yoshikazu let out a confirmatory moan. **"Great! This day is gonna be so much fun!"**

Just then, the spirit of Sachiko's mother, Yoshie, appeared beside her.

"**Sacchaaaaaaaaaaannnn… Congratulaaaaaaaatiooooooooooonnnnssss…" **Yoshie said in a moaning voice. Sachiko ran up to her with her arms outstretched.

"**Mum, hug!" **Sachiko said, wrapping her arms around her mother's waist. At this, Yoshie suddenly transformed, looking as if she was alive once more. She giggled as she pet her daughter's head comfortingly.

"**Good girl," **Yoshie cooed. **"Just today, let's all happily play together."**

"**Yeah," **Sachiko agreed. **"What do you call that again, Mum? When you forgive someone that you've captured?"**

"**Amnesty?" **Yoshie guessed.

"**Yeah, that!" **Sachiko exclaimed. **"Today, I'm going to give amnesty to everyone! I'm going to transport all of the people who are still alive to the auditorium. We're going to have lots of fun today, with all sorts of fun stuff to do!" **She let out an excited giggle at the thought. **"Well, I'm off, Mum!" **With that, she ran out of the Infirmary toward the auditorium. Yoshie let out a small giggle.

"**I hope you enjoy your birthday today, Sacchan…" **she said.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I'm gonna have so much fun writing this story… XD


	2. Chapter 2: The Gathering

DISCLAIMER: CORPSE PARTY AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY TEAM GRISGRIS/GRINDHOUSE. **_MY ORIGINAL CHARACTER, PACKER, IS OWNED BY ME._**

* * *

**_CHAPTER 2: THE GATHERING_**

"**...shi… …toshi… Oy, Satoshi! Wake up!"**

Satoshi groaned as he heard a familiar voice call out to him. Awaking from his slumber, he slowly opened his eyes, and saw a familiar face staring back at him, complete with green hair, chinstrap beard and green eyes.

"**Packer?" **Satoshi mumbled. **"What's… going on?"**

* * *

_**KNIGHT OF THE COVENANT PROFILE**_

_**NAME: **__Packer_

_**AGE: **__17_

_**HEIGHT: **__6' 1''_

_**COVENANT RANK: **__Elite Knight_

_**ELEMENT: **__All_

**_MARTIAL ARTS STYLES:_**_ Shaolin Fist, Praying Mantis Kung Fu  
_

_**WEAPON: **__Shiden_

_**KNOWN SPELLS: **__Fire – Immolation, Pyro Punch, Sacred Fire_

_Ice – Ice Spreader, Zero Punch, Ice Beam_

_Earth – Earthquake, Fissure, Solarblast_

_Darkness – Dark Outburst, Arcane Punch, Bloody Lance_

_Lightning – Thunderbolt, Thunderpunch, Astraea Lightning_

_Wind – Vortex Shield, Shining Sprint_

_Water – Tidal Barrier, Hydroblast_

_Light – Aurora Punch, Angel Spark, Shining Helix_

_**KNOWN WEAPON TECHNIQUES: **__FireSlash, IceSlash, BoltSlash, EvilSlash, VacuSlash, Shining Slash, Blade Storm, Climhazzard, Ultra Slash_

* * *

Packer held out a hand to Satoshi, who took it and stood up as Packer pulled him to his feet.

"**I'm not really sure," **Packer explained. **"One minute, I was with Naomi and Seiko in the halls of this Godforsaken school, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up here." **Satoshi shook the cobwebs from his head and glanced at his surroundings.

"**Where are we?" **Satoshi asked.

"**Looks like some kind of auditorium," **Packer replied. The ceiling to the auditorium rose about 10 meters high, and the lines were aligned nice and neatly, and the floor was varnished, with a shiny look to it. In front of them was a stage with red curtains on either side. On top of the stage was a podium that was often used for speeches.

"**This is… an auditorium?" **Satoshi inquired with a puzzled look. The strong rain slams against the roof, and small splatters resonate throughout the entire room. On both sides of the building, there were two basketball goals hanging from the ceiling.

"**It's a gymnasium and an auditorium," **Satoshi realized. **"They used to use these designs back in the 50's, early 60's."**

Packer nodded in response. **"And we're not the only ones here. Look around you," **the green-haired boy said.

Standing around the room was a large crowd of students, wearing different school uniforms.

"**It's almost like a Monday morning school assembly, except we're trapped in Heavenly Host," **Satoshi said darkly.

Like Packer and Satoshi, they were each regaining their senses and looking around the room in confusion.

"**They look about as confused as we are," **Packer said, before turning to Satoshi. **"Satoshi, what's the last thing you remember before you were brought here?"**

"**Well, we were brought to the school and… I remember up to leaving classroom 1-A with Yuka," **Satoshi explained.

"**Huh, that's weird. Naomi and Seiko told me that's the room they ended up in when they were brought here as well," **Packer surmised. **"That must mean this school exists in multiple dimensions."**

"**I guess so," **Satoshi replied, before looking around once more. **"But… where's everyone? Everyone from Kisaragi…"**

"**I'm not sure," **Packer said. **"I haven't seen anyone else from our group yet…"**

Suddenly, from the other side of the room…

"**Satoshi! Are you alright?!"**

They heard a very familiar voice, which they turned toward immediately.

"**Naomi?!" **Satoshi exclaimed. Then, another familiar voice rang out.

"**Mochida-kun! Packer!" **Packer let out a small gasp.

"**Seiko?!" **he shouted, still not seeing any sign of his girlfriend or Naomi.

Finally, the boys spotted Naomi and Seiko emerge from the crowd and ran toward them. Without thinking, Satoshi ran up to Naomi and embraced her in a warm hug, while Seiko did the same with Packer.

"**Naomi…" **Satoshi whispered, holding Naomi in his arms. Naomi had unshed tears in her brown eyes as she wound her arms around his neck.

"**Geez… I was so worried about you, you know!" **Naomi cried.

'_I guess, like Yuka and I, up until a couple of minutes ago, she was in this school possibly facing frightening experiences,' _Satoshi thought. **"You okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" **he asked, concerned. Naomi let out a small sniffle.

"**I'm okay," **she assured.

As they continued to embrace, Packer and Seiko walked up to them, an arm around each other's waist. Seiko let out a small giggle as Satoshi glanced up at her.

"**Shinohara, are you alright?" **Satoshi asked.

"**Yeah," **Seiko replied, before glancing at Naomi with a sly look. **"Geez, Naomi, don't let go, alright?"**

At her teasing question, Satoshi and Naomi suddenly realized that they had been hugging this whole time. They let out a panicked yelp and quickly moved away from each other.

"**S-Sorry about that, Naomi," **Satoshi stuttered, face red. Naomi let out a nervous laugh.

"**It's alright," **she replied. Seiko wells up a tear as she looks at Naomi with a smile. Then…

"**Onii-Chan!"**

"**Mochida-kun!"**

The four of them turn to see Yuka and their teacher, Yui, running toward them.

"**Yuka! Yui-sensei!" **Satoshi exclaimed.

"**Onii-Chan! Are you okay?" **Yuka asked with a worried expression.

"**Yeah, for the most part," **Satoshi replied.

"**Satoshi!"**

"**Mochida-kun!"**

"**Guys!"**

Just then, Yoshiki, Ayumi, Morishige and Mayu emerged from the crowd and joined them.

"**Yoshiki! Shinozaki! Suzumoto! Even Morishige, too!" **Satoshi exclaimed happily.

"**Well, looks like we're all okay, for the most part," **Packer observed with a smile. Satoshi desperately tried to hold back a sob.

"**All of you… you're all safe…" **he whispered. Naomi let out a small chuckle.

"**You idiot, Satoshi, what are you crying about?" **Naomi asked, close to tears herself. Yoshiki let out a hearty laugh.

"**Your face is a mess, you know, Satoshi?" **Yoshiki laughed.

"**Come on, you're all no different," **Satoshi laughed back. **"Damn, I wanted to see you guys so much!"**

"**Mochida-kun…" **Mayu cooed.

As the group shared the joy of being reunited with one another, Packer stood back, observing all of this with a small, yet concerned smile.

'_Well, the group is back together again, so this mission might be easier than I thought. But I thought I had transformed BEFORE we came here to Heavenly Host, yet I'm back in my school uniform. What the heck happened?' _he thought silently to himself.

From every direction, Packer heard the cries of reunion from the other students. There were students from Byakudan Senior High School, Paulownia Academy High School, and Musashigawa Girls' Middle School standing around.

'_Hm, seems like everyone else is in the same boat as us. But why were all of us brought here to the auditorium?' _Packer thought.

"**So, what exactly is going on?" **Satoshi asked.

"**Unless someone brought us here for some reason while we were unconscious, there is no way this kind of reunion should be happening," **Morishige replied.

"**True. Although we got to reunite with each other, we're still inside Heavenly Host Elementary, so we're not in a situation where we can celebrate just yet," **Yui surmised. **"Keep on your guard, everyone."**

Packer let out a small chuckle.

'_As a Knight of the Covenant, being on guard at all times is a requirement for us,' _he thought.

"**Yuka-Chi?"**

Yuka let out a small gasp as she recognized the voice calling out to her. She turned around, and her eyes widened in shock. Standing behind her was her friend and classmate, Satsuki Mizuhara. She wore the same outfit as Yuka, and had short brown hair and blue-green eyes. She was holding a small bag of potato chips in her hand.

"**Satsuki-Chan! Why are you here?!" **Yuka exclaimed. Satsuki grabbed a chip from the bag and popped it in her mouth.

"**I'm not really sure," **the little brown haired girl replied, talking with her mouth full. **"I was eating snacks at home… and then I was here, wherever here is." **She swallowed the chip in her mouth before wiping it with her arm. **"What is this place?"**

"**You're inside Heavenly Host Elementary," **Packer explained. **"But I don't recall you doing the Sachiko Ever After charm with us, so why has she been brought here? None of this is making any sense."**

Suddenly, there was some loud feedback from the megaphones that were secured to the corners of the wall high up off the ground, causing everyone to grunt in pain from the screeching noise.

"**What the hell was that?!" **Yoshiki shouted.

Turning around, everyone glanced up at the stage, and noticed that there was something being covered by a red cloth next to the teacher's podium.

"**Huh? Was that there before?" **Satoshi wondered.

Suddenly, a young voice called out to them from somewhere in the room.

"_**Please quiet down, everybody. Haven't you all realized yet?"**_

Everybody glanced around, but there was still nobody to be seen.

"**W-Who is it?" **Emi Urabe, one of the girls from Byakudan Senior High School, called out.

"**Where is that voice coming from?" **Fukuroi Masato, one of Emi's classmates, asked.

"_**Okay, quiet everyone. Quiet now. Face forward properly. Look at the person who is talking."**_

"**Look at the person who is talking…? There isn't even anyone there!" **Yoshiki shouted.

Suddenly, from the direction of the stage, a large metal hammer comes flying toward Yoshiki.

"_**YOSHIKI!" **_Packer shouted, rushing forward and pulling Yoshiki back by the collar just in time. It smashed into the ground right where Yoshiki had been standing. Yoshiki gasped in horror, wondering what might might've happened had Packer not reacted when he did.

"**W-Where the hell did **_**that**_** come from?" **Yoshiki asked in a trembling voice.

For an answer, a loud, angry roar came from the direction of the stage. Everyone present gasped in horror as they saw the tall, monstrous form of Yoshikazu Yanagihori standing on the stage. His blood red eyes were fixed directly on Yoshiki, an angry look on his face.

Packer suddenly gasped as his Future Sight ability activated, revealing to him the many battles he had with the giant in a previous time loop. Shaking his head as his Future Sight ended, an enraged look appeared on Packer's face as he looked up at Yoshikazu.

"**You know, it's not nice to throw dangerous objects at people," **Packer growled. Running up, he pulled the sledgehammer out of the floor, before turning and facing the brute. **"Hey, screw, fetch!"**

Spinning around a few times, Packer launched the sledgehammer back at Yoshikazu, who was too slow to react before the hammer cracked him in the side of the head with a loud _THUNK! _He groaned as he swayed on his feet, stars in his eyes, before he fell backward and landed on the ground, causing the entire room to shake slightly. Stars swirled around Yoshikazu's head as he laid unconscious on the stage of the auditorium.

Everyone was stunned by Packer's incredible feat, including Packer himself, who was equally as confused.

"**Ummmmm… ooooookay…" **he mumbled in confusion. **"I don't think that was supposed to happen."**

"_**Hahaha, that was a nice shot, Packer-kun!"**_

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a little girl in a red dress appeared on stage, next to the fallen Yoshikazu. Seeing the little girl suddenly activated Packer's Future Sight once again, and the memories of the previous time loop came pouring back to him.

When it finally ended, he glanced up at the little girl, now recognizing her.

"**You're Sachiko," **Packer said.

Everyone glanced at him, wondering how this boy knew who the girl was. Sachiko gave Packer a wide smile.

"**I'm glad you recognize me, Packer-kun," **she exclaimed, before she kicked Yoshikazu in the side of the head. **"Hey, big dumb, wake up! Pick yourself back up and stand next to the podium."**

Rising to his feet, Yoshikazu let out a confirmatory moan and walked over to the podium. Sachiko jumped up onto his arm and sat down on it, glancing at everyone in the room. Yoshikazu let out a loud roar and slammed his foot against the floor. The entire room fell silent, although Packer crossed his arms and smirked at the giant.

"**Everyone, thanks for joining me today," **Sachiko explained. **"For those that have repeated the same day a number of times, I'm glad you're still here. I've transported you all here to this time, on this day, July 19****th****. After today, everything will be returned to normal and it will be like nothing ever happened."**

"**So why exactly **_**have **_**we been brought here?" **Packer inquired.

"**This time is something that hardly happens," **Sachiko replied, before scratching her chin in thought. **"What was it called…? A special? No… wait, a separation? Anthology? Well, something like that. Anyways, there are some people here that we'll probably never see again, so enjoy to your heart's content, okay?"**

'_That's what you think, Sachiko…' _Packer thought.

"_**WHAT THE HELL?!" **_Satoshi, Yoshiki &amp; Morishige yelled. Packer scratched his head in confusion.

"**That still doesn't explain why we're here today," **he interjected. Sachiko let out a small giggle.

"**Well, you see, today is my birthday, so I want everybody to have a fun day today," **she explained.

Packer's eyes lit up in surprise.

"**Your birthday, huh? I guess that explains why your demeanor is a little… different from what I remember," **Packer surmised.

"**What exactly do you mean by… enjoy?" **Naomi asked.

"**Yeah, I kind of want to know what that means, too," **Mayu said. From her spot in the Paulownia group, Naho Saenoki tilted her head in confusion.

"**Have fun?" **she said quizzically.

Everyone started talking amongst themselves. Sachiko cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention back to her.

"**Today, we're gonna have a little Cultural Festival, much like you do at your schools," **Sachiko said. Satsuki shook her head, utterly confused.

"**What the hell?" **she mumbled.

"**Mizuhara! Stop talking, please," **Sachiko commanded. She throws a chalk piece at Satsuki, hitting her in the forehead. Satsuki yelps in pain at the contact and collapses to the floor.

"**Satsuki-Chan!" **Yuka yelled, rushing over to check on her friend, who was shaking the cobwebs from her head. As she did so, Packer knelt down and picked up the piece of chalk that Sachiko threw. Glaring at the young girl, he crushed the chalk with his fist and blew the dust out of his hand. Sachiko just smirked at the green-haired young man.

"**Um, excuse me," **a young, energy filled, red-haired girl from the Paulownia group said as she raised her hand.

"**Yes, Paulownia Academy High School Class 2-1, Ooue Sayaka-san?" **Sachiko asked, motioning her to continue.

"**She seems to know all of the names of the students that she trapped here…" **Naomi whispered.

"**Um, I kind of want to go home!" **Sayaka blurted out. Sachiko maintained the smile on her face.

"**No can do," **she declared. Sayaka moaned in defeat. Then, a young man from the Byakudan group stepped forward. The name on his tag read 'Kai Shimada'.

"**Who gives a shit about your birthday?! Let us go home!" **Shimada yelled. Several more of the groups of students began to get rowdy. **"What are you, anyway?! You're just a kid! Don't you think you can make fun of us!"**

Sachiko simply smiles, raises her hand, and swings it out toward Shimada. Suddenly, one of the ceiling lights becomes dislodged, falls to the floor and shatters on impact, skinning past Shimada's cheek on the way down. Shimada grunted in pain as he held a hand to his bleeding cheek. He crumbles to the floor in shock, sweat beading his forehead as he stares up at Sachiko, wondering how she just did that. Everyone began laughing at him in response.

Letting out a small sigh, Packer swiped some glass shards off his uniform and looked to the group of students.

"**Everyone, could you please stop interrupting so we can see what the fuck Sachiko wants to do for her birthday, please and thank you," **Packer declared.

"**Thank you, Packer-kun," **Sachiko replied with a smile. **"During an assembly, raise your hand before you open your mouth… unless your name is Packer-kun." **Packer gave her a lopsided smile. Everybody falls silent once again. Then, another girl from the Musashigawa group raises her hand. She had short brown hair and wore a light brown outfit.

"**Excuse me."**

"**Hm? Yes, Musashigawa Girls' Middle School Year 1-4, Ogasawara Nana-san?" **Sachiko asked.

"**What are we supposed to do for this Cultural Festival?" **Nana asked.

"**Good question," **Sachiko replied, letting out a small giggle. **"Sensei loves her docile students."**

"**Did she just call herself 'Sensei'?" **Satoshi whispered to himself.

Sachiko raises her hand. Suddenly, the cloth covering the board next to the podium falls off, revealing a school map, which appeared to be color coded, indicating different activities for the festival.

"**I call it… '**_**Heavenly Host Sachiko Full Bite Bloody Rotten Flesh Smelling Ultra Confinement Summer Festival!'"**_ Sachiko yelled.

The sound of crickets could be audibly heard as the room fell completely silent once more, as everyone could not believe what they just heard.

**"Uhhhhh... yeeeeaaahhh, let's go with that, I... guess," **Packer mumbled. Sachiko's face drooped in response.

"**Well, ****I thought it was a good name…" **she said sadly. Slamming his foot down on the ground once again, Yoshikazu roared in anger. The ground shook, and the ceiling lights let out a creaking noise, causing everyone to look up in worry. Packer let out an irritated sigh.

"**You can get mad all you want, Big Ug-Ass, but it doesn't change the fact that the name is kind of… weird, convoluted and redundant," **he said. Yoshikazu and Sachiko glared in Packer's direction, but the green-haired boy was unfazed by their stink eyes. **"But that doesn't mean that we can't improve on it. We can come up with a better name than that."**

"**How do you propose we do that?" **Sachiko asked. Packer jumped up onto the stage and leaned against the podium, arms crossed.

"**Well, we need to come up with a name that's A: a helluva lot shorter, and B: something that doesn't sound like it comes out of a low budget horror movie," **Packer replied. Sachiko scratched her chin as she digested Packer's response. Just then, Mayu raised her hand.

"**Excuse me," **she called out. Sachiko glanced over at her.

"**Yes, Kisaragi Academy Year 2-9, Suzumoto Mayu-san?" **Sachiko asked.

"**Um, Sachiko-san, I agree with Packer-kun," **Mayu said. **"Since it's such a momentous occasion, I think we should put a lighter and more fun title on it."**

"**What do you propose?" **Sachiko inquired.

"**Hmmm… let's see," **Mayu said, thinking to herself, before suddenly, the light bulb went off in her head. **"Oh, I have one! How about… **_**Sachiko's Hysteric Birthday?**_**"**

Everyone oohed at Mayu's suggestion, before breaking into applause. Mayu giggled in response. Packer chuckled to himself.

"**Leave it to the Drama Club expert to come up with a name like that," **he said with a smile.

Sachiko had a frown on her face at first, as she considered Mayu's suggestion, and then, a smile gradually returns to her face.

"**That's great! I'm gonna change the festival's name to that!" **Sachiko exclaimed. **"From this point forward, today will be known as 'Sachiko's Hysteric Birthday'! Thank you for the suggestion, Mayu-san!"**

Mayu giggled in response.

"**You're welcome, Sachiko-san," **she replied. Just then, Morishige tapped her on the shoulder.

"**Mayu, what are you thinking? She's the one that trapped us here in the first place, remember?" **Morishige inquired.

"**I know," **Mayu replied. **"I'm scared, as well, but you know… she kind of seems so lonely."**

"**Well, they say you shouldn't sympathize with a spirit," **Morishige retorted. **"Don't get swallowed by the atmosphere."**

"**Hmmm…" **Mayu mumbled. Ayumi crossed her arms and sighed.

"**I don't think you get it, Morishige," **she said, going into class rep mode. **"There's always the choice of pretending to follow the orders of a spirit to find a weak spot. If that's what it takes to get us out of here, then I'll do it."**

Morishige fell silent at Ayumi's suggestion.

Jumping off of Yoshikazu's arm, Sachiko moves and sits on top of the podium. Grabbing a conductor's stick, she points at the board.

"**As you can see, I've worked long and hard to create a fun and exciting recreation menu of activities," **Sachiko said. **"I've already decided beforehand as to which students are going to participate in what events. Whether or not you participate… will be entirely up to you. Just be warned that there will be consequences for not participating in an event."**

Everybody looked at each other with worry in their eyes.

'_Maybe the recreation activities aren't going to be as fun as we first thought…' _Naomi thought worriedly.

"**Each activity is in its own time frame, so the connection may be a little off, but you don't have to worry too much about that," **Sachiko continued. **"Also, everybody came here with the charm, right?" **Everybody padded their pockets, feeling for their piece of the Sachiko Ever After charm. **"And for today only, I've invited some special guests! They're people that some of you may have a connection to!"**

Satsuki and Yuka looked at each other, now realizing why Satsuki was there in the first place.

"**I'm unable to connect to the souls of those people, so they'll be here for today only. Once the date changes, they'll be sent back to the real world," **Sachiko continued. **"But if they die before then, they'll be left behind here at Heavenly Host, so be careful, 'kay?"**

"**Shi... Shishido, is that you?" **A young boy with spiky brown hair suddenly came toward the Kisaragi group, wearing a similar outfit to the one the other boys were wearing. Yui let out a shocked gasp.

"**Tsu… Tsukasa-kun?!" **she gasped as Tsukasa Mikuni, her childhood crush, was now standing in front of her, only he looked like he did back in her high school days.

"**Shishido, how are you an adult?" **Tsukasa asked, confused.

"**Um… well, that's… kind of hard to explain…" **Yui stuttered.

Sachiko clapped her hands together, drawing everyone's attention back to her.

"**Well, then… let's begin… my Hysteric Birthday!" **she yelled, blowing a kazoo loudly. Standing up on the podium, she turned around to where she was facing the activity board. **"I'll pick the first activity! Hmmm… let's see…" **She tossed the scissors in her hand over and over again as she glances up and down the board. Suddenly, she stops, and turns back toward the waiting students, a wide smile on her face. Packer arched an eyebrow.

"**Ruh-roh, Scooby," **he chuckled. Sachiko let out a small giggle.

"**Sachiko… wants to see a love comedy…" **she declared.

Silence gripped the auditorium once again. Sachiko tilted her head in confusion.

"**Huh? Didn't you guys hear me?" **Sachiko inquired. **"I said I want to see a love comedy."**

"**I think they heard you, Sachiko. They're just too busy trying to pick their jaws up off the floor," **Packer laughed.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yeah, it's pretty obvious where this is going… XD


	3. Chapter 3: A Harem Love Comedy!

DISCLAIMER: CORPSE PARTY AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY TEAM GRISGRIS/GRINDHOUSE. **_MY ORIGINAL CHARACTER, PACKER, IS OWNED BY ME._**

**Author's Note: **As you can probably tell, I'm highly motivated to do this story right now. This is the third chapter in less than a week, and I'm still gonna be churning them out at a rapid pace, at least for the time being.

To EpicFanGirl: Yes, I've watched TheAnimeMan's playthrough of the game, and it was hilarious, to say the least. I'm also using it as a reference material to write the story.

Also, in this chapter, you're gonna see my OC's sense of humor really come out, and I think it suits him well, to say the least. XD

Anyways, enjoy Chapter 3. ;)

* * *

**_CHAPTER 3: A HAREM LOVE COMEDY?!_**

The auditorium remained bathed in silence as everyone absorbed Sachiko's request. A request to see… a love comedy… it was certainly a request that came from far out of left field.

Yoshiki's mouth opened and closed a few times, until he finally regained his ability to speak.

"**A love comedy?!" **the blonde exclaimed.

"**Yeah, a love comedy!" **Sachiko replied excitedly.** "School love comedies are really popular right now, right?"**

"**Well… yeah, I guess so," **Yoshiki answered, feeling uncertain. _'What the hell does love comedies have to do with me?!' _he thought. _'Well, if Shinozaki and I were to be the main roles, then I guess I'd be cool with it…' _

Yoshiki stole a sideways glance at Ayumi, who seemed to be deep in thought. When she looked up at him, he suddenly looked away, his face red from being caught staring.

'_Aw, who am I kidding?! There's no way I can do something that fucking embarrassing!' _the blonde thought fervently.

Ayumi tilted her head at him in confusion.

'_Did Kishinuma-kun just look this way?' _Ayumi thought. _'Hm, must be my imagination…' _She took a second look at him, noticing the conflicting emotions on his face. _'Hm? Is Kishinuma-kun angry about something?'_

"**Well? If it's popular, then… that means it's really fun, right?" **Sachiko asked.

"**I guess," **Yoshiki answered with a shrug.

"**Then you'll show it to me, right?" **Sachiko asked.

"**Well… I guess it depends on the script, right?" **Yoshiki inquired. **"But I'm no expert on love comedies, so I wouldn't really know where to begin."**

Sachiko snapped her fingers.

"**Igor, hand them the goods," **she commanded to Yoshikazu. The giant obediently walks into the back of the stage. When he returned, he held a book in his hands. He passed it on to Yoshiki without saying a word, before returning to his spot next to the podium.

Yoshiki looked at the book in his hands. It was clean-looking, and had a vibrant title with a lot of decorations on the cover.

"…**the hell is this? Is this… a script?" **Yoshiki asked with a puzzled look. He read the title, and his eyes widened in shock. _**"Heavenly Host Elementary Harem School Days, the Love Operation?"**_

"**Yeah! It's an interesting sounding title, right?" **Sachiko asked vibrantly. Yoshiki stared blankly at Sachiko for a moment before letting out a small sigh.

"**Like I said, I'm not an expert on love comedies, but I know for certain that it's a shitty title," **he mumbled to himself.

Packer jumped down from the stage and walked over to Yoshiki, while Satoshi walked over to the both of them.

"**Well, open it, Yoshiki," **Packer said. **"Let's see what it's about."**

"**Alright," **Yoshiki replied. Opening the book to the first page, it listed the people who would play which roles in the story. Satoshi let out a surprised gasp.

"**Wha…? I'm… the main character?" **Satoshi said, his mouth dropping open. Yoshiki looked up at Satoshi, arching an eyebrow.

"**Yeah, it seems so," **the blonde replied. Packer let out a small chuckle.

"**Yeah, this will certainly end well," **he laughed, causing Satoshi to glare at him.

"**Well, I don't mind that," **Yoshiki retorted with a shrug. **"It probably would've been weird if I was the main role, anyway."**

"**Who else is playing roles in this thing?" **Packer asked. Yoshiki glanced back down at the page.

"**Other roles include Nakashima, Shinozaki…" **Yoshiki began, before stopping at Ayumi's name, his eyes wide. **"Shinozaki is in this as well? Wait, does that mean… she's a harem member?!"**

"**Uh-oh. Danger, Will Robinson," **Packer chuckled, noticing the change in Yoshiki's demeanor. Yoshiki let out an aggravated sigh.

"**I can't say I feel good about the prospect of Shinozaki being involved in something like that," **the blonde replied.

"**You probably wouldn't mind that if **_**you **_**were in the main role, right, Kishinuma?" **Packer asked teasingly. Yoshiki's cheeks flared red momentarily before he cleared his throat.

"**Anyways, let's continue…" **he mumbled, continuing to look at the cast. **"Huh, Yui-sensei and Yuka are in here as well. Seems like there's all sorts of people in this story. But who's Kirisaki Tohko? And Mizuhara Satsuki is… Yuka's friend, isn't it?"**

"**Yeah," **Packer replied. **"Kirisaki Tohko must be from one of the other schools, I'd guess."**

"**Well, whatever," **Yoshiki scoffed. **"Let's see what the story is like…"**

"**I've got a bad feeling already," **Satoshi muttered.

The next several minutes saw Yoshiki flipping through the pages of the script, with Satoshi and Packer looking over his shoulder. Yoshiki let out several different sounds, from confused grunts to horrified gasps. Packer had to keep his hand over his mouth to prevent a few snickers from escaping.

Closing the book, Yoshiki whirled around to face Sachiko, an angry look on his face.

"**Hey, this just comprises of Satoshi getting the girls for no particular reason!" **he shouted indignantly. Packer was beginning to find it more and more difficult to keep his laughter in, while Satoshi scratches the back of his head with embarrassment, his cheeks flaring red.

"**But, isn't that what a love comedy is?" **Sachiko inquired. **"It's just about the protagonist getting popular for no apparent reason, right?"**

"**She seems to know what she's talking about, that's for sure," **Seiko laughed.

"**Well… maybe you're right, but I can't allow Shinozaki to be a part of this!" **Yoshiki exclaimed.

"**I don't really mind," **Ayumi answered. Yoshiki slowly turned toward the bluenette, eyes wide at her answer.

"**You've got to be kidding me, Shinozaki!" **Yoshiki shouted, exasperated. **"It's a harem, Shinozaki. A **_**HAREM!"**_

"**He kind of has a point," **Packer said. **"You **_**do**_** know what a harem is, don't you, Ayumi?"**

"**Yes, I know what a harem is, Packer-kun, but there's not much we can do about it," **Ayumi responded.

Yoshiki glanced over at Naomi, gauging her reaction to the whole thing.

"**Then, what about you, Nakashima?" **the blonde asked.

"**Well, I don't mind, as long as the protagonist is Satoshi," **Naomi replied with a red face. **"Ah, it's nothing like that, you know. It's just, it'd be kind of scary if it was someone I don't know." **She glanced over at Seiko and Packer, who was looking at her with skepticism on their faces. **"What?"**

Packer and Seiko looked at each other, and then back at Naomi, a sly smile on their faces.

"**Yeeeeeaaaahhhh… I'm calling major bullshit on that, Naomi," **Packer chuckled.

"**Yeah, she definitely wants the D," **Seiko said evilly. Naomi's face turned beet red at Seiko's words.

"**N-N-No, it's nothing like that, Seiko!" **Naomi shouted. **"Stop being so damn perverted!" **Seiko just giggled slyly.

Yoshiki then turned his attention to Yuka.

"…**You too, Yuka?" **he asked.

"**Eh? Well, I haven't read the script yet, but… I don't mind if it's with Onii-Chan, so…" **she admitted with embarrassment.

Yoshiki whirled around and glanced at Yui, who was standing several feet away.

"**Not you, too, Yui-sensei!" **Yoshiki groaned. Yui looked at him with a confused expression.

"**Eh? Kishinuma-kun, why are you getting angry when I haven't even said anything?" **Yui asked.

"**Sorry, but seriously, are you okay with this, Sensei?" **Yoshiki asked.

"**Well, I don't mean to jump on the bandwagon, but… it beats doing something scary, right?" **Yui replied.

Yoshiki let out an exasperated sigh and face palmed at her response.

"**Well, what do you say now?" **Sachiko asked. Yoshiki turned and glared at the girl, an intensely angry look on his face.

"**S-Shut up! Even if Shinozaki and the others say it's okay, I'll never allow it!" **he roared. Packer continued to try to hold back his laughter.

"**Displeased Yoshiki is displeased," **he chuckled.

Sachiko stared up at the blonde young man with a blank look on his face.

"**Mister, that's not what you said before," **she replied.

"**Yeah, Kishinuma-kun, what are you getting so hot-headed about?" **Ayumi interjected. Packer chuckled while shaking his head.

"**Ayumi, you **_**really**_** need to get a clue…" **he muttered to himself.

Yoshiki turned back to the bluenette, now feeling totally exasperated.

"**C-Come on, Shinozaki, listen to reason here…!" **he pleaded with her. _'I don't want to be thought of as a possessive person… but I really don't want to see you getting friendly with Satoshi in front of me…' _he thought. He let out a sigh and turned back to Sachiko. **"Anyways, I'll have no part in this whatsoever!"**

"**You know you don't even have a role in this, right?" **Sachiko replied matter-of-factly.

"**Even so, I'm still against this!" **Yoshiki yelled.

"**Ruh-roh. Shit's about to go down and I'm about to yell timber," **Packer laughed.

Just then, Shimada stepped forward, a scowl on his face.

"**I'm not down for it, either," **he declared. **"If you're gonna make someone the protagonist, then you should pick someone with characteristics, like me."**

The girls glanced over at him like he was from another planet.

"**Who **_**is **_**this douchebag?" **Seiko asked. Packer just shrugged.

"**I don't know, but I do know that he's full of more shit than a port-a-potty," **the green-haired boy said with a chuckle. Seiko let out a small laugh at that.

Satoshi glared over at the red-haired young man.

"**What do you mean?! I don't have any characteristics?!" **he shouted. **"Wait, we weren't even talking about that just now, were we?!"**

"**If you didn't hear me, then I'll say it again: If you're gonna make someone the protagonist, then you should pick someone with characteristics, like me, and not this… puny looking thing," **Shimada said, an air of cockiness about him.

"**You don't have to say it again, okay?!" **Satoshi screamed. **"I heard you just fine, you know?! That's not what I meant! And who are you calling 'puny'?!**

"**I'm calling you puny, that's who," **Shimada replied with an evil chuckle. Suddenly, a fist connected with Shimada's jaw, knocking him off his feet and onto his back. As he sat up, rubbing his aching jaw, he glanced up at the person who struck him.

"**Do one of those characteristics involve getting knocked on your arrogant ass? Because that's exactly what just happened," **Packer said, flexing his wrist from where he had struck Shimada. Letting a triumphant smile grace his lips, he turned and walked back over to where Yoshiki was standing, while the girls from the Byakudan group were letting out small giggles at Shimada's predicament. Shimada let out a defeated sigh and got back to his feet.

Morishige adjusted his glasses and walked over to Satoshi.

"**Well, whether or not Mochida does have any characteristics, I'm also not keen for this crap," **the cobalt-haired boy said. He let a small smile grace his features. **"Besides, if someone were to do it, it would be best to have someone with acting experience, such as myself."**

"**Oh, boy. The jealousy is so thick in this room, you could cut it with a knife," **Packer mumbled.

"**What?!" **Satoshi exclaimed, surprised at Morishige's response. **"You're not gonna back me up either, Morishige?!"**

"**If you didn't hear me, then I'll say it again," **Morishige replied, causing Packer to face palm.

"**Oh, Christ," **he moaned. **"I really hate it when people repeat themselves."**

"**No, I didn't say I didn't hear you, did I?" **Satoshi retorted. **"I'm just lamenting about the fact that you didn't back me up!"**

"**Whether or not Mochida does have any characteristics, I'm also not keen for this crap. Besides, if someone were to do it, it would be best to have someone with acting experience, such as myself," **Morishige repeated. Satoshi growled in irritation.

"**I just said you don't have to repeat yourself! Why do you keep saying unnecessary things?!" **Satoshi shouted.

"**Well, this is certainly going downhill in a hurry," **Packer mumbled.

"**Besides questioning your characteristics, Satoshi, you're against participating in this idea, too, aren't you?" **Yoshiki asked. Satoshi's face drooped in response.

"**Damn, not even Yoshiki is backing me up…" **he mumbled forlornly.

"**If you didn't hear me, then I'll say it again," **Yoshiki replied, causing Packer to throw his arms up in aggravation.

"**For the love of Pete…" **he muttered.

"**You don't have to, damn it!" **Satoshi roared, just as fed up with everybody repeating themselves. **"I'm not whining about not being able to hear you, alright?!"**

"_**WHO GIVES A FUCK, GOD DAMN IT!" **_Yoshiki roared back. **"What I'm talking about is whether you're going to do the love comedy thing or not!"**

Satoshi suddenly fell silent, conflicting emotions spread across his features.

"**I know, but…" **Satoshi began, still uncertain about what he wanted to do.

"**See? It's much more serious than whether you have characteristics or not, right?" **Yoshiki inquired. Satoshi let out a small sigh.

"**Y-Yeah, you're right, that's true," **Satoshi conceded. **"But I'm still concerned about it. Hey, Yoshiki, do you think so, too?"**

Yoshiki stared blankly at Satoshi. Satoshi looked up, concerned that Yoshiki hadn't answered him.

"**Y-Yoshiki?" **Satoshi questioned. Yoshiki continued to remain silent, staring at Satoshi with a stone-faced look. **"Hello? Yoshiki-saaaan?"**

"…**Do I **_**really**_** have to answer that?" **Yoshiki asked bluntly. Satoshi glared at his blonde friend in irritation.

"**What?! Was it that much of a heavy question?!" **he shouted. **"Is it that difficult to answer whether I have characteristics or not?!"**

All the while, Packer was silently chuckling to himself, trying not to laugh out loud.

"**I really wish I had a bag of popcorn for this," **he said to himself.

"**Onii-Chan…" **Yuka whispered.

"**Hey, Yuka-Chi, is it that maybe your brother has no characteristics whatsoever?" **Satsuki asked.

"**Sa-Satsuki-Chan," **Yuka gasped, not believing that her best friend would say such a thing about her brother.

"**But, everybody is saying so, and nobody is denying it, right?" **Satsuki asked.

"**But… I feel sorry for Onii-Chan when you say that in such a way," **Yuka answered. Satoshi let out a sad sigh.

"**Yuka… don't tell me that you think that, too…" **he muttered sadly. Yuka let out a small gasp.

"**N-No, Onii-Chan! You're really protagonist-like!" **she retorted hastily. **"You're cool, and you do things when they need to be done! And in the end, there's always Onii-Chan!" **Satoshi gave her a sweet smile upon hearing that.

"**Does that equate to characteristics, though?" **he asked.

"**Well… it does to me," **Yuka replied with a smile.

"**Well, it sounds to me like you pretty much don't have any characteristics," **Satsuki interjected. **"You just seem like a normal sub-character."**

"**Sa-Satsuki-Chan," **Yuka gasped at Satsuki's opinion.

"**Huh? But hey, Yuka-Chi, being a protagonist is a good thing, but it pretty much means you're fairly normal, right?" **Satsuki inquired.

"**T-That's true…" **Satoshi mumbled in a deflated voice.

"**Who gives a shit about that, Satoshi?!" **Yoshiki suddenly shouted, drawing the brown-haired boy's attention back to him.

"**Y-You're right!" **he agreed. **"Right now is not the time to question my characteristics!"**

"**Satoshi, you're not behind this idea, right?" **Yoshiki asked.

"**Well, I-I…" **Satoshi stuttered.

"**Of course you're against it, right, Satoshi?" **Yoshiki asked again. Satoshi remained silent for a few seconds, thinking about whether to go with the idea or not. Yoshiki tilted his head in confusion, wondering why Satoshi was taking so long to answer.

Finally, Satoshi raised his head, his mind made up.

"**I'm going with the idea," **he declared.

"**Uh-oh," **Packer chuckled. **"Get out your umbrellas, ladies and gents, because there's a shitstorm heading this way."**

Yoshiki, Shimada and Morishige all gasped in surprise, not quite believing what Satoshi just said.

"**It's a rare occasion where nothing scary is going to happen, so I think we should calmly… go with the idea," **Satoshi explained. Yoshiki face palmed hard enough to put an indentation in his forehead.

"**I'm disappointed, Satoshi!" **he exclaimed. **"You don't care about Shinozaki or me, as long as you get to play the best part, huh?!"**

"**You're wrong, Yoshiki!" **Satoshi interjected. **"I just don't want to go against Sachiko, that's all."**

"**Bullshit," **Packer said with a fake cough.

"**Besides, Shinozaki doesn't have any problems with it," **Satoshi continued. **"Hey, Shinozaki, you agree with me, right?"**

"**Yeah, I do," **Ayumi replied with a smile.

"**Of course you would," **Packer whispered.

"**A-Are you serious, Shinozaki?!" **Yoshiki gasped.

"**Huh? I said before that I was cool with it, remember?" **Ayumi inquired.

"**But… Satoshi is the protagonist and… well, it's a freaking harem!" **Yoshiki exclaimed.

"**I told you that I'm cool with it being Mochida-kun," **Ayumi replied. **"Kishinuma-kun, were you even listening at all?"**

Yoshiki let out a series of small groans, pulling on his hair in great aggravation. Packer shook his head at the sight in front of him.

"**Damn, Ayumi really **_**is **_**clueless," **he said to himself.

Satoshi glanced at Yoshiki with a worried expression.

"**Yoshiki, you alright?" **he asked his blonde-haired friend. **"You look shocked for some reason. You're not even on the script, so it shouldn't have anything to do with you, right?"**

Yoshiki slowly turned and glared at Satoshi, a look of distain on his face.

'_You just don't get it, do you, Mochida?' _he thought. He took a deep breath and exhaled. **"…Satoshi…"**

"**Hm?" **Satoshi mumbled. Yoshiki's face contorted in frustration.

"**Satoshi! I don't consider you a friend anymore!" **he yelled. Satoshi was shocked by his friend's outburst.

"**Yoshiki, why are you so mad? Why don't you understand that it'd be better if we did the love comedy?" **Satoshi asked.

"**You're the one that doesn't understand, Satoshi!" **Yoshiki growled. Satoshi threw his hands up in the air, completely exasperated by the situation.

"**I have no idea what you're going on about, Yoshiki!" **he fired back.

"**Either way, I'm against the idea!" **Yoshiki yelled back.

"**Why…?"**

All eyes in the room turned toward Sachiko, whom had spoken the inquiratory word.

"**I thought I would just have a fun day with everyone, so why is everyone fighting?" **Sachiko asked forlornly.

Packer let out a small laugh and wrapped both arms around Yoshiki and Satoshi, bringing them in close.

"**Oh, don't worry about these two getting into an argument," **Packer explained. **"They do this pretty much every day. This is just par for the course for these guys."**

Yoshiki glanced down at the girl in the red dress.

"**Have a fun day with everyone?" **Yoshiki inquired quizzically. **"But I thought you were just screwing around with us?" **Sachiko's face twisted into a frown.

"**You're mean, mister!" **Sachiko whined. **"Fine, I'm not going to invite you anymore, then!"**

"**Huh?" **Yoshiki muttered in confusion. He gulped as he noticed the peeved look that Sachiko was giving him. _'Hm, maybe I went a little overboard…' _he thought to himself. **"I-I'm sorry, Sachiko. I guess I… overreacted a little bit to the whole situation. Maybe I'm just looking too much into this… love comedy thing... I guess. That, and being in this place seems to have frazzled my nerves quite a bit."**

Sachiko's face softened at Yoshiki's explanation.

"**Is that so?" **Sachiko asked. **"Well, if that's the case, then I have an idea for what our first event will be!"**

"**And what might that be?" **Packer asked, curiosity peaked.

"**Simple," **Sachiko explained. **"I'll give those of you that want to escape from here a chance to do so. Of course, it's not going to be that easy, though."**

Sachiko snaps her fingers, and the doors to the auditorium suddenly swung open.

"**On the other side of those doors is what I'm gonna call an 'escape game'," **Sachiko continued. **"An obstacle course, so to speak. If you can make it to the goal, I'll let the victors take one other person with them to escape. It won't be so lonely then, would it?"**

Yoshiki let out a small, yet hopeful gasp.

"**Are you serious?!" **he exclaimed.

"**Dead serious," **Sachiko answered, before looking up at Yoshiki with a smirk. **"But that's **_**IF **_**you can escape…"**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Next time, we hit up the obstacle course. Sounds like a fun thing to do… XD


	4. Chapter 4: The Gauntlet is Thrown

DISCLAIMER: CORPSE PARTY AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY TEAM GRISGRIS/GRINDHOUSE. **_MY ORIGINAL CHARACTER, PACKER, IS OWNED BY ME._**

**Author's Note: **I apologize for taking a bit longer than expected to upload the next chapter, but I got sick for about a week and had to put it off for a while. But I'm fine now, so I'm gonna get back to writing more chapters real soon.

Since the back story in this chapter went a little longer than expected, the obstacle course will make its appearance in the next chapter. But for now, here's Chapter 4. Enjoy.

* * *

**_CHAPTER 4: THE GAUNTLET IS THROWN_**

Out in the hallways of Heavenly Host, two girls were running, trying to find their way through the school. One of them is a teenage girl of above average height and below average weight. She has straight blonde hair with side swept bangs that cover her left eye, and blue eyes with a beauty mark underneath her left lip. She is wearing the uniform of St. Cruz Girls' High School: a white single-breasted jacket with red edges, a pleated white skirt with red edges, black stockings, brown loafers and a white beret with red edges. Her name tag read 'Azusa Takai'.

The other one with her is a teenage girl with short purple hair and green eyes. She wears a bunny hair clip on the left side of her head. Like Azusa, she wears the uniform of St. Cruz Girls' High School. Her name tag read 'Ran Kobayashi'.

Both girls finally came to a halt, trying to catch their breath.

"**Are you okay, Ran?" **Azusa asked. Ran could only nod. Azusa brought out her necklace, which was in the shape of a cross, and held it out in front of her. **"My Lord… with your cleansing light, full of forgiveness… please watch over and protect us…" **Her praying words slowly faded into the cold darkness of the school.

"**You think the prayer will work? Even in a place like this?" **Ran asked.

"**Yes, the Lord will protect, no matter when or where we are," **Azusa replied with a smile. **"The prayer will definitely be heard."**

"**You're so pious, my wife," **Ran replied wistfully. **"Just by standing next to you, I can feel my heart being cleansed."**

"**Ran, don't let your guard down, lest you be taken over by the darkness," **Azusa warned. Ran glanced at Azusa with a concerned look.

"**What's 'darkness'? Is it something bad?" **the purple haired girl asked.

"**In some ways, yes," **Azusa replied. **"It's a power that is flowing through this building right now."**

"**Right now?" **Ran murmured.

"**You know when you go to a church, you feel holy power," **Azusa explained.

"**Yeah, the air in a church definitely feels a lot cleaner," **Ran realized.

"**Well, this place is the exact opposite," **Azusa continued.

"**Now that you mention it, it is rather difficult to breathe in here," **Ran replied.

"**Stagnant space is created by stagnant power. And in this space, there is some entity that is concentrating its power into this one space," **Azusa concluded.

"**Could it be… an evil spirit?" **Ran asked with worry. Azusa glanced up at Ran.

"**It may be," **the blonde said. **"Not to mention the fact that the entity isn't too far away."**

Both girls let out a small shudder at the thought. Then, Ran put on her best brave face and smiled at Azusa.

"**It's alright! There's nothing to fear!" **Ran proclaimed. Azusa arched an eyebrow at her purple-haired friend.

"**How so?" **Azusa inquired.

"**Because my love for my wife will lead us!" **Ran replied with confidence. Azusa let out a small chuckle.

"**Ran's love will lead us," **Azusa replied.

"**Is there anything stronger in this world than my love?" **Ran asked.

"**I don't think there is anything stronger in this world than the Lord's love," **Azusa replied.

"**Much like the Lord's love, my love for my wife will protect and guide us!" **Ran declared once again. Azusa let out another small chuckle at her friend's antics.

"**Well, isn't that reassuring," **she said with a smile.

"**Right!" **Ran replied, beaming at Azusa. Azusa's smile disappeared as she glanced at the door they had stopped at.

"**By the way, that evil presence… seems to be coming from the other side of that door," **Azusa warned.

"**How big could it be?" **Ran asked.

"**I'm not certain," **Azusa replied. **"But it is immensely powerful, from what I can tell. However, I sense another powerful entity behind this door, only this one seems to have all of its elements in alignment."**

"**A being that can use the power of all the elements?" **Ran asked. **"Who on earth can do that?"**

"**Again, I'm uncertain… but there's one way to find out," **Azusa declared. **"My Lord… please protect us."**

She reached forward and grabbed the handle to the door.

"**Wait, my wife!" **Ran suddenly blurted out. Azusa stopped and looked back at Ran.

"**What is it?" **she asked. Ran had a slight blush on her face.

"**Before we go in, can I smell your hair?" **Ran asked. Azusa arched an eyebrow.

"**Why?" **the blonde asked.

"**For good luck," **Ran replied. Azusa rolled her eyes, but smiled back at her purple-haired friend.

"**Well, alright," **she agreed.

Stepping up to Azusa, Ran stood on her tiptoes and inhaled the heavenly scent of Azusa's hair.

"**Ahhhhh… what a wondrous smell," **Ran murmured contentedly. **"Alright, wife, let's head inside."**

"**Alright," **Azusa agreed. She reached over and grabbed the handle of the door once more…

* * *

Meanwhile, Yoshiki was pondering the challenge that had been presented to him by Sachiko: an obstacle course that if he was successful in clearing, he would get to leave Heavenly Host with one other person.

'_If I can reach the goal, then I can get Shinozaki out of this creepy place with me…' _Yoshiki thought. With a look of determination, he turned back to Sachiko, his mind made up.

"**Alright, Sachiko, I'll play your game!" **he declared, earning a surprised gasp from Satoshi.

"**Yoshiki, are you serious?" **Satoshi inquired.

"**Considering the look on his face, I'd say he is," **Packer quipped.

"**Damn right, I'm serious," **Yoshiki replied. **"I can get out of here if I reach the goal, right? Not to mention that I'd get to leave with a person of my choice. With that kind of prize up for grabs, there's no way I can refuse."**

"**Sounds logical to me," **Packer said.

"**That's true, but…" **Satoshi began, but he stopped midsentence, a concerned look on his face. **"No, you can't! It's not right to participate in this game!"**

Yoshiki and Packer looked at each other, confusion etched on their faces.

"**What's wrong with you, Satoshi, suddenly getting angry like that?" **Yoshiki inquired.

"**Look, this game might be dangerous!" **Satoshi replied. **"You might be risking your own life in this game!"**

At that, Packer looked to Yoshiki, a look of concern on his face.

"**He has a point, Yoshiki," **Packer interjected. **"Are you sure you want to risk your life for this?"**

"**I'm sure," **Yoshiki replied, before looking at Satoshi with a wary eye. **"Or are you just saying that so you can do the love comedy crap, aren't you, Satoshi?"**

"**Oh, jeez, here we go with that again…" **Packer moaned.

"**No! Stop screwing arou…" **Satoshi began, but was cut off by Yoshiki.

"**_Then who the fuck is gonna save Shinozaki?!" _**Yoshiki yelled, surprising both Satoshi and Packer.

"**Wha…?" **Satoshi mumbled in confusion. Yoshiki's breathing was heavy as he focused on Satoshi.

"**You're not fit for that job!" **Yoshiki declared. **"I'm gonna save Shinozaki and that's final! You got that, Satoshi?!"**

Satoshi was silent for several moments, as he finally realized why Yoshiki was so passionate about competing in the obstacle course. He gave his blonde-haired friend a nod.

"**Yoshiki, I understand," **Satoshi replied with a smile. **"If this is what you want to do, then I understand your reasons for doing so. Good luck, Yoshiki!"**

Yoshiki gave Satoshi a grateful smile.

"**Thanks, Satoshi," **he said. Packer wrapped an arm around Yoshiki's neck playfully.

"**Well, if you're gonna enter, I might as well do the same thing," **Packer said. **"Because why the hell not at this point?"**

Yoshiki laughed at Packer's comment.

"**Yeah, I heard that," **Yoshiki replied, causing Packer to chuckle in response.

'_Of course, I have a different reason for entering this challenge…' _the green-haired boy thought to himself.

At this moment, Ayumi walked up to the boys, her arms crossed and a scowl on her features.

"**Kishinuma-kun, what are you saying?" **Ayumi asked. **"It's not like I ever wanted you to save me or anything like that."**

Yoshiki's eyes shot toward the bluenette, a look of shock registering within his grey orbs.

"**Eh?" **he muttered in confusion.

"**Or didn't you realize that I was going to follow along with Sachiko-san for now, and find a way out of here for all of us?! Seriously, Kishinuma-kun, you really need to learn to keep your tongue in check," **Ayumi scolded.

Yoshiki let out a small gasp, feeling his heart being torn in half at Ayumi's words. He gazed down at the floor, all of his confidence completely obliterated.

"**Is… that so…" **Yoshiki muttered sadly. He had been put down by Ayumi on numerous occasions, but this time, he really felt like he had lost his mojo.

Packer crossed his arms and scowled at Ayumi, an angry look on his face.

"**You're really something, you know that, Ayumi?" **Packer inquired, causing Ayumi to look at him in confusion.

"**Eh? What do you mean?" **Ayumi asked. Packer sighed and shook his head in frustration.

"**Wow, you really are clueless," **Packer bit back. **"What I mean is that Yoshiki here is willing to risk his life to get you out of here, and that was your response to that? To put him down like you've always done?"**

Ayumi was stunned into silence by Packer's angry words. She opened her mouth to retort, but nothing would come out.

"**Absolutely ridiculous," **Packer finished, before turning and wrapping an arm around Yoshiki's neck, leading him away from Ayumi. **"Yoshiki, honestly, what do you see in that girl? All she ever does is treat you like crap, and it's getting absurd, to tell you the truth."**

"**I know," **Yoshiki replied with a sigh. **"But I wouldn't still be in school if it wasn't for her, and I probably wouldn't have met Satoshi and the others if it wasn't for her, so… I can't really help feeling the way I do."**

Packer gazed at his blonde-haired friend for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

"**Yoshiki, I know exactly how you feel," **he replied. **"I just wish she'd show you a little more gratitude for what you're doing. But we'll worry about that later. For now, let's focus on beating Sachiko's obstacle course."**

"**Right, let's do it!" **Yoshiki agreed, regaining his confidence a bit.

With that, both boys walked up to Sachiko.

"**Sachiko, I'm entering the escape game of yours!" **Yoshiki declared.

"**Really…" **Sachiko replied, gazing up at Yoshiki with a smile on her face. **"I'm happy to hear that."**

* * *

While Yoshiki was speaking to Sachiko, Nana watched him from some distance away, a small blush on her face.

"**I wonder why whenever I see that Kishinuma guy, my heart skips a beat…" **Nana murmured to herself.

"**What's wrong, Nana? Something on your mind?"**

Nana spun around toward the person asking the question. She is a young teenage girl of above average height and slightly below average weight. She has short chestnut-colored hair, a silver hairpin with a red sphere on it and purple eyes. She wears the Musashigawa Girls' Middle School uniform, which consists of a white shirt, a beige blazer, a skirt, a blue bow tied around her neck, black shoes and white crew length socks. Her name tag red 'Nari Amatoya'.

Standing next to her was another girl from Musashigawa Girls' Middle School. She is a teenage girl of below average height, with turquoise eyes and medium-short gray hair cut horizontally in the front. Her name tag read 'Chihaya Yamase'.

"**Huh? Oh… yeah. Kind of…" **Nana replied. **"Are you having any feelings of déjà vu?"**

"**Not really…" **Nari retorted.

"**Oh… I guess it's just my imagination," **Nana murmured.

"**Nana-Chan, I…" **Chihaya began, but stopped midsentence.

"**Hm? What's wrong, Chihaya-Chan?" **Nana asked. Chihaya blushed in response.

"**Well, um…" **she stuttered.

"**Chihaya, if you want to say something, then just say it," **Nari blurted out. Chihaya continued to stutter, however, earning an irritated sigh from Nari. **"Jeez, seriously, what is it?!"**

"**Nari-Chan, if you rush her like that, then it's going to be more difficult to get her to talk," **Nana scolded Nari, before turning to Chihaya and smiling. **"Isn't that right, Chihaya-Chan?"**

"**Y-Yeah, you're right," **Chihaya agreed. Nari sighed irritably.

"**Well, sorry," **she bit back. **"Guess it's all my fault for being so impatient!"**

"**Don't you do sulking now, too," **Nana retorted. Nari rolled her eyes in response. Nana turned back to Chihaya. **"Anyway, Chihaya-Chan, you were trying to say that you've seen or remember this place from somewhere, right?"**

"**Y-Yeah, although I don't really remember clearly," **Chihaya replied.

"**Do you remember that Kishinuma guy over there, Chihaya-Chan?" **Nana asked. Chihaya glanced over at the blonde-haired young man before shaking her head.

"**Nope. I've never seen that guy before," **the grey-haired girl replied.

"**Hm… that green-haired boy seems familiar to me, too," **Nana murmured, glancing over at Packer. **"Have I met them somewhere before?"**

"**But, I've seen the person with the glasses over there before," **Chihaya interjected, pointing at Morishige.

"**You mean the guy in glasses with the black school uniform?" **Nari inquired.

"**Yeah. Do you remember him, too, Nari-Chan?" **Chihaya asked. Nari shook her head.

"**I don't remember him at all," **she replied. **"Where did you meet him, Chihaya?"**

"**I don't really know where," **Chihaya said, a look of confusion on her face. **"But I kind of remember meeting him somewhere before."**

"**Wow, kind of strange, if you ask me," **Nari surmised.

"**I even remember his name," **Chihaya replied. **"Morishige Sakutaro is his name."**

"**Morishige Sakutaro?" **Nari mumbled in confusion.

"**I'm fairly certain that we've met him before," **Chihaya said. **"I just can't remember where for the life of me." **Nari snapped her fingers.

"**Now that you mention it, I do have this feeling of déjà vu…" **Nari replied.

"**Just like the déjà vu I have with Kishinuma and the green-haired boy," **Nana said. **"Does that mean that all three of us have some memories of this place that were just wiped away for whatever reason?"**

"**Maybe," **Nari replied.

* * *

Meanwhile, Morishige was standing by himself with his arms crossed, watching as Yoshiki conversed with Sachiko about the obstacle course. Just then, Mayu walked up to him.

"**Hey, Shige-nii, are you going to join as well?" **she asked. Morishige pushed his glasses up his nose and nodded.

"**Yeah," **he replied. **"Although, if only one of us was going to make it out, I probably wouldn't have, but…" **He paused for a moment. **"The one who will save Mayu is me!" **he muttered under his breath.

"**Well, I won't try to stop you," **Mayu said. Morishige arched an eyebrow.

"**What is it? Something bothering you?" **he asked with concern. Mayu looked up at him, concern etched on her face.

"**Shige-nii, you'll definitely come back, right?" **she asked, hope in her voice.

"**Yeah, of course," **Morishige replied with a smile. **"I won't go anywhere and leave Mayu behind."**

"**Yeah, you're right," **Mayu giggled. **"Shige-nii, good luck!" **However, there was a lingering fear in the back of her mind.

'_What is this feeling? This feeling… that I'll never see him again…' _she thought.

After a few moments, Sachiko clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.

"**Alright, it's time for anyone to announce their intentions on entering the escape game," **Sachiko declared. **"I already know that Packer-kun, Kishinuma and Morishige will be entering. Anyone else?"**

At that moment, Shimada stepped forward.

"**Of course, I'm the top batter!" **he boasted. **"And nobody isn't going to say shit about it!"**

"**So, Shimada, you want to go first?" **Sachiko inquired, giving him a small smile. **"Well, since going first is a bit disadvantageous, if you can somehow make it to the goal, I might give you a little bonus. That is, of course, **_**IF **_**you can reach the goal."**

"**A bonus, huh?" **Shimada chuckled. **"Not sure what she meant by that, but this is getting interesting!" **He glanced over at one of the girls from his school. **"Hey, Kirisaki!"**

The girl glared over at him. She is a teenage girl of average height and below average weight. She has medium long brown hair with a tint of green tied into a ponytail, with a white bow and desaturated turquoise eyes. She wears the Byakudan Senior High uniform, a white sailor fuku with a green collar and a red bow, a green pleated skirt, white crew-cut socks and brown shoes. Her name tag read 'Tohko Kirisaki'.

"**What?!" **Tohko yelled.

"**If I make it to the goal, I'll save you, you know?" **Shimada declared.

"**Eh?" **Tohko muttered in confusion. A greasy smile flashed across Shimada's face.

"**Well, you'll have to pay me back in a certain way if I do, though," **he said, licking his lips. Tohko growled in aggravation.

"**Pay him back a certain way… there's **_**NO WAY IN HELL **_**he's thinking with his head right now," **she muttered under her breath.

"**What's up? You don't look too well."**

Tohko turned toward the sound of the voice. It came from a teenage boy of above average height and build. He has dark colored eyes and short, black hair. He wears the standard Byakudan Senior High School uniform. However, he keeps his blazer on his right shoulder, and he has his shirt partly unbuttoned and untucked with his sleeves rolled up. He also has a silver chain looped on to his pants. His name tag read 'Yuuya Kizami'.

"**Huh? Oh, I'm fine," **Tohko replied. **"Yuuya, you're actually worrying about me?" **She muttered under her breath. She had always had a crush on Kizami, and she could feel herself blush at the thought of Kizami worrying about her well-being. Kizami remained silent as he gazed down at her.

"**You're not gonna join in, Yuuya?" **Tohko asked. Kizami just shrugged.

"**I'm not really interested in it, honestly," **he replied. Tohko giggled.

"**You're different from the other boys, being more mature and all," **she replied. Kizami arched an eyebrow.

"**What's that supposed to mean?" **he inquired.

"**Don't worry about it," **Tohko giggled. _'I wonder if I made him worry. But… seeing Yuuya get worried is kind of cute…' _she thought silently to herself. _'Seriously, I'd rather reward Yuuya instead of Shimada…' _Stopping her train of thought, Tohko could feel herself blush a violent red at what she just thought. _'Wait… what the hell am I thinking?!'_

Kizami stared at Tohko with a confused look on his face.

"**You sure you're okay, Kirisaki? Your face is going bright red…" **Kizami observed.

"**Oh, it's nothing! Don't worry about it!" **Tohko said hurriedly.

"**I see," **Kizami murmured.

Just then, one of their classmates walked up to them. He is a teenage male with below average height and average weight. He has purple eyes and short slate purple hair. He wears the Byakudan Senior High School male uniform, consisting of a white shirt, a Byzantium purple blazer, black pants, and brown shoes. His name tag read 'Kensuke Kurosaki'.

"**Hey, it looks like Shimada's about to start," **Kurosaki said.

"**Huh? But I didn't hear a start signal," **Tohko observed.

Running ahead, Shimada headed toward the door.

"**I can't wait any longer! I'm gonna pop over to the goal, then take Kirisaki with me out of this place!" **Shimada laughed. **"I guess it won't hurt if I start without the others!"**

Shimada runs out into the hallway, but as soon as he stepped outside, a trap door suddenly opened underneath of him, causing him to fall into the abyss within.

"**Wha… A pitfall so soon… **_**AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" **_Shimada screamed as he plummeted into the abyss.

"_**SHIMADA!" **_Kurosaki yelled.

"**Shimada, didn't you learn in school that false starts get you disqualified?" **Sachiko said, letting out a creepy giggle.

"**Well… that certainly came out of left field," **Packer said with a blank look.

"**Shimada… is he dead?" **Tohko asked fearfully.

One of her friends grabs onto her arm. She is a teenage girl of below average height and above average weight. She has medium long brown hair with a tint of green and green eyes. She wears pink glasses. She wears the Byakudan Senior High uniform, a white sailor fuku with a green collar and a red bow, a green pleated skirt, white crew-cut socks and brown shoes. Her name tag read 'Emi Urabe'.

"**I… think so…" **Emi shuddered.

Standing next to her was another one of their female classmates. She is a teenage girl of average height and below average weight. She has desaturated turquoise eyes and medium short curly brown hair. She wears two pink hair accessories on both sides of her head. Her name tag read 'Mitsuki Yamamoto'. She is clearly shaking after witnessing what happened to Shimada.

Standing next to Kurosaki was one of their male classmates. He is a teenage male with average height and weight. He has short, semi-spiky tan brown hair and brown eyes. He wears the Byakudan Senior High School male uniform. He is also wearing round eyeglasses. His name tag read 'Masato Fukuroi'.

"**I thought we couldn't die this time around?!" **Tohko yelled indignantly.

"**It seems that those who oppose Sachiko are shown no mercy," **Kizami observed.

"**Even if we oppose her or not, after today is over, we're gonna go back to what it was before, where it's that easy to die, right?" **Kurosaki asked.

"**Kurosaki, don't tell me that you're gonna join in this challenge as well," **Kizami said. Kurosaki crossed his arms, a serious look on his face.

"**Well, if we're gonna return to that messed up reality either way, then this obstacle course may be our only chance to survive. Am I wrong?" **Kurosaki inquired.

"**I guess so," **Kizami agreed, albeit reluctantly. **"But you saw what happened to Shimada. I say don't do it."**

"**No, I agree with Kurosaki," **Fukuroi piped in. **"Not only does the person who makes it to the goal get to leave this lace, but another person of their choice gets to leave with them. I have a feeling that another chance like this won't be coming around again, so we might want to take advantage of the opportunity while the going's good."**

"**You have a feeling?" **Kizami asked. **"That reason is unlike you."**

"**Yeah, I know it is," **Fukuroi agreed. **"But I have a feeling that terrible things will happen if we stay here any longer. But if any of us make it to the goal, we can save another student of ours… well, other than Shimada."**

"**So, I'm guessing that you want me to participate as well?" **Kizami inquired.

"**Kizami, if you join us, then we have a chance to save up to six lives, you know?" **Kurosaki replied. Kizami scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"**I don't know. It seems too risky," **he retorted. **"We don't know what kind of traps besides pitfalls are out there."**

"**I know there's no way to prepare for it," **Kurosaki sighed. **"But still, we can't let an opportunity like this just slip through our fingers. Like Fukuroi said, this may be our only chance to escape from this school." **_'And I won't give up a chance to save Mitsuki-san!' _he thought to himself. His concerned eyes glanced over at Mitsuki. _'I want to save her.'_

However, Mitsuki had other ideas.

"**I think it's worth a shot," **Mitsuki said. **"If Kizami-kun isn't going to go, then I'll go!"**

Kurosaki and Fukuroi let out a surprised gasp at Mitsuki's declaration. Mitsuki crossed her arms and scowled at the boys.

"**What's up with you two?" **she inquired. **"Don't you think I'll be of way more help than Kizami-kun over there with zero motivation?"**

"**Well… y-yeah," **Kurosaki reluctantly agreed. _'But if that happens, then I can't save Mitsuki-san…' _he thought sadly to himself.

"**Well, it is true that Mitsuki is more fit for the job, but…," **Fukuroi interjected.

"**What is it? You got a problem with something?" **Mitsuki asked with an annoyed tone in her voice.

"**No, not at all!" **Kurosaki replied, knowing what kind of temper Mitsuki had. **"I think that Mitsuki-san being with us will be reassuring, right, Fukuroi?"**

Fukuroi nodded in response.

"**Y-Yeah, you're right!" **he agreed. **"I have a feeling that Mitsuki will be useful in certain situations, as well."**

"**Then it's settled!" **Mitsuki declared with a smile. **"Let's all get outta here together! Byakudan Academy for the win!"**

"**Yeah!" **Fukuroi and Kurosaki yelled, throwing their fists in the air.

* * *

Yoshikazu grunted as he carried a television into the auditorium and set it down on a table near the stage. Sayaka let out a small shudder as she stared at the brute.

'_This guy is way beyond terrifying…' _she thought silently to herself.

Sachiko walked up and stood beside the television.

"**For those of you that aren't participating, you can watch what happens in the race using this TV," **she said.

Standing next to Sachiko was a teenage girl of above average height and below average weight. She has long, black hair with light blue highlights. Two blue ribbons are tied in her hair. The girl seemed to have an interesting fashion sense, wearing a gold necklace with a pink gem, and a short purple yukata with a red skirt underneath. She wears a geta with long stockings tied with light blue ribbons.

"**Geez, talk about spoiled milk," **the girl said. **"Getting disqualified for a false start. All the information I gathered is wasted now."**

Sayaka let out a small gasp, recognizing the girl.

"**Naho-tan, the person standing next to Sachiko is…" **she began.

"**Aiko Niwa, the paranormal item collector who's really stingy with money," **Naho finished. **"Does that mean Aiko did the Sachiko Ever After charm as well?"**

Aiko glanced over at Naho with a small smile.

"**Oh, my, that's rather rude of you, Naho-Chan," **she replied. Naho crossed her arms and walked up to Aiko, a scowl on her face.

"**Well, the fact that you're a paranormal item collector, or the fact that you're stingy with money isn't a lie, though," **Naho retorted.

"**Well, that's true," **Aiko said. **"But if you say it all together, it creates a rather unsavory impression, no?"**

"**I don't think it makes a difference either way," **Naho replied.

"**Well, now that you say that, I guess you're right," **Aiko agreed. **"So, I guess you want an answer as to why I'm here right now."**

"**You read my mind," **Naho replied. At that moment, Sachiko walked up to them.

"**I actually called her here to become a commentator for the race," **Sachiko explained.

"**Well, there's your answer," **Aiko chuckled.

"**That doesn't answer my question at all!" **Naho protested. **"Do you have any idea what this place is?"**

Aiko gave Naho a flat stare.

"**That's my line," **Aiko interjected. **"It was you who stepped into this world without solid knowledge of what you were facing, you know. Not to mention, you got Sayaka-Chan involved in the process." **Naho let out a small sigh of frustration, knowing that Aiko was right in what she was saying. **"I can't help you guys since I was only temporarily called to this plane, but even though I don't look it, I am worried for all of you, you know?"**

"**I do wonder sometimes," **Naho replied with a frown.

"**Oh, my," **Aiko sighed. **"Even after all the times I've saved you from countless perils, you're still rather cold towards me."**

"**And you don't think I know that every time you supposedly did, you got your hands on some rare paranormal item with it?" **Naho shot back.

"**Oh, my," **Aiko sighed again.

"**Stop fighting, you two," **Sachiko interjected. **"Aiko, can you tell me about that Shimada guy who fell in the hole just now? What kind of person was he?"**

"**Well, time to do my job, I guess," **Aiko chuckled. Naho glared at the raven-haired girl.

"**So, you **_**DID **_**get some paranormal items!" **she yelled.

"**Well, I am a pro at what I do after all," **Aiko replied with a wink. **"Anyway, that kid's name was Kai Shimada, but if you look at him characteristics wise, he's more discomforting than anything else."**

"**Lame," **Naho sighed.

"**Class 2-4 at Byakudan High School," **Aiko continued. **"While being feared by many students for being rude and obnoxious, he seemed to have a charismatic charm with other delinquents and some female students."**

"**Soooo, he was a bad guy?" **Sachiko asked.

"**Indeed," **Aiko agreed. **"He had an astounding ten girlfriends. And to all of them, he would spurt out words like 'I'll only care for you' or some kind of crap like that."**

"**In other words, he was a grade-A douchebag," **Packer interjected, walking up to them.

"**Wow, that's horrible!" **Sachiko replied.

"**His favorite survival knife is actually something he bought online, and it's pretty crappy looking if you ask me," **Aiko concluded.

"**Wow, you really don't have any sense of being a data collector by blathering about people's privacy like that," **Naho retorted, shaking her head in disgust.

"**But he was kind of a douche, so a little bit wouldn't hurt, would it?" **Sayaka asked.

"**Well, I'll allow it to stop an 11****th**** victim from appearing," **Naho conceded.

Just then, a teenage boy of somewhat above average height and average build walked up to them. He has short, light brown hair and dark brown eyes. He wears the standard male Paulownia Academy uniform, a light blue blazer with a white shirt, purple tie and dark blue pants. His name tag read 'Haruyuki Inumaru'.

"**Well, as a male myself, I find him repulsive," **Inumaru said. **"But I know that my Sayaka would never fall for a guy like that."**

Sayaka gasped in horror at the person that now stood in front of her.

"_**GYAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! Where did you come from, you baka dog?!" **_Sayaka roared. Jumping at him, she hit him in the stomach with a corkscrew punch, sending him sprawling on the ground and rolling around in agony.

"**Damn, that was a nice corkscrew punch," **Packer admired. Naho sighed.

"**I know you got surprised by him suddenly appearing and all, but come on, Sayaka," **Naho scolded. **"A corkscrew punch in the stomach is a bit too much, isn't it?"**

"**It's fine, because it's him," **Sayaka retorted.

"**I can't really talk, but I think Sayaka is a bit too rough on Inumaru-kun," **Naho sighed.

"**I'm guessing there's a bit of history between you two?" **Packer inquired.

"**Unfortunately, yes," **Sayaka bit out. **"He clings onto me just because we live next to each other and we're childhood friends, you know?! Being this rough with him is just right! Ugggggghhhh, it was so disgusting, Naho-tan!"**

"**I think Inumaru-kun is trying really hard, though," **Naho replied. **"You know, I think he was desperately looking for you after you disappeared."**

Sayaka let a disgusted sound escape from her diaphragm.

"**God, just imagining Inumaru running around looking for me gives me chills!" **she retorted. **"Naho-tan, don't say such disturbing things!"**

"**I'm glad Seiko doesn't treat **_**me **_**the same way Sayaka treats Inumaru," **Packer chuckled to himself.

Inumaru finally got to his feet after the pain from Sayaka's fist subsided.

"**Come on, Sayaka. No need to be so embarrassed," **he said. **"If it's for you, then I'll travel to the depths of Hell and back to search for you!"**

"**Whatever," **Sayaka snorted, crossing her arms. **"By the way, what the heck are you doing here anyway? Nobody who reads this story is gonna know who you are anyways!"**

_**(Author's Note: Fourth wall breaking for the win. :P)**_

Inumaru lets out a small chuckle at Sayaka's comment.

"**What are you talking about, Sayaka?" **Inumaru inquired. **"Is there a person on this planet who doesn't know how much of a steady connection we have with each other?"**

"**Steady connection, my ass!" **Sayaka roared. **"And I doubt a single person knows that!"**

Inumaru let out another small chuckle.

"**You know, you're really cute when you blush," **he said with a smile. Sayaka's eyes blazed red at Inumaru's words.

"**I'm not your possession!" **she yelled. Running at him, she hit him with her corkscrew punch yet again, drilling him in the stomach. However, this time around, he let out a small grunt as he absorbed the punch. Naho, Sayaka and Packer were surprised by this.

"**Whoa, he took it," **Packer admired.

"**He actually survived this time!" **Naho observed. Inumaru let out another chuckle.

"**Sayaka, you underestimate my learning abilities," **he said. **"It's common sense that the same attacks do not work twice on someone such as myself!"**

"**Since when did that ever become common sense?!" **Sayaka shouted. **"And how do you expect me to value somebody's learning ability when they can't even understand that I have no feelings for them?!"**

Inumaru laughed once again.

"**Come on now," **he replied. **"If you don't have any feelings for me, then who else could you have any feelings for?"**

Sayaka glanced at Naho with a smile.

"**I have feelings for Naho-tan, of course!" **she said. Naho glanced away, an embarrassed look on her face.

"**I don't exactly know how I feel about that," **Naho said.

"**Whaaaaaaat?!" **Sayaka moaned. **"Naho-tan, you're so mean!"**

"**By the way, don't you have something else to ask?" **Naho asked.

"**That's right!" **Sayaka realized. **"Inumaru, what the heck are you doing here?!"**

"**Well, it's the miracle of love," **Inumaru replied wistfully. Packer let out a small chuckle.

"**How did I know that something like that was gonna come out of his mouth?" **Packer said. Sayaka face palmed in frustration.

"**I'm an idiot for asking," **she muttered to herself.

"**Yep," **Packer agreed.

"**Seriously, though, it's not like you did the Sachiko Ever after charm, right?" **Naho asked.

"**Well, I don't have any friends, so I can't say that I have," **Inumaru replied.

"**That's because you have no interest in anyone besides Sayaka, after all," **Naho surmised.

"**If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say Inumaru was invited as a 'special guest' by Sachiko for her birthday today," **Packer interjected.

"**Sounds about right," **Naho agreed, before looking around. **"By the way, I wonder where Taguchi-san ran off to. He was here a second ago and now he's gone."**

"**Yeah, I saw him too," **Sayaka replied. **"I don't know where he is now, but he did have a video camera in his hand, so…"**

"**Seriously, I wonder about that guy sometimes," **Naho sighed.

"**Worried about him?" **Sayaka asked.

"**I'm not really sure," **Naho answered.

"**Well, I did see him talking with Niwa-san before he left," **Inumaru interjected. **"Her and Sachiko, to be exact."**

"**I have a bad feeling about this," **Naho moaned.

"**You baka!" **Sayaka yelled. **"Aiko is fine, but if someone is talking to Sachiko, then you could've at least tried and stopped them or something!"**

"**Would you have praised me if I did, my Sayaka?" **Inumaru asked with a smile.

"**As if I would!" **Sayaka shouted. **"And who're you calling 'my Sayaka'?!"**

Inumaru chuckled once more.

"**You really are a blushing beauty, my Sayaka," **he replied.

Meanwhile, Sachiko and Aiko were watching the two of them argue back and forth.

"**You know, I just kind of brought along people who had some connection to the main cast but… hey, Aiko, who is the pitiful guy there?" **Sachiko asked.

"**To sum it up, he Sayaka-Chan's… dog, in a sense," **Aiko replied.

"**I see," **Sachiko said. **"Alright, it's almost time for the race to begin!"**

Packer cracked his knuckles as he walked up to the starting line.

"**Time to win this thing," **Packer said to himself.

"**Packer-kun! Hold up!" **Sachiko shouted, causing Packer to glance back at her.

"**Huh? What do you mean?" **Packer asked, confused.

"**I want you to wait until after everyone has taken their shot at the obstacle course," **Sachiko said.

"**Why?" **Packer inquired. Sachiko gave him a knowing smile.

"**Because I know your secret," **she replied with a giggle. Packer let out a small sigh. He knew she had to be referring to his occupation as a Knight of the Covenant and his supernatural powers, which the others did not know about yet.

"**Very well," **Packer sighed, moving to stand next to Sachiko. Naomi walked up to him.

"**Hey, Packer, what did Sachiko mean by 'your secret'?" **she asked. Packer glanced over at her briefly.

"**You'll find out soon enough," **he replied.

Meanwhile, the rest of the participants lined up at the starting line. Sachiko raised her hand into the air.

"**Contestants on your mark… get set… and… **_**GO!" **_she shouted, starting the race. In a flash, all of the competitors ran out of the auditorium.

The race was on.


	5. Chapter 5: Obstacle Course

DISCLAIMER: CORPSE PARTY AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY TEAM GRISGRIS/GRINDHOUSE. **_MY ORIGINAL CHARACTER, PACKER, IS OWNED BY ME._**

**Author's Note: **Hey, everyone. I apologize for taking so long to get this chapter up, but I haven't been terribly motivated lately, and this chapter took forever to write, considering it's over 12,000 words, so… yeah. I have a feeling that the majority of the chapters in this story will be over 10,000 words, so yeah, I'll have a lot of work to do. XD

But finally, after three months of waiting, here is Chapter Five. Hopefully, it was well worth the wait.

* * *

**_CHAPTER 5: OBSTACLE COURSE_**

The participants raced out of the auditorium and down the hallway. After a few seconds, Seiko, now wearing her gym clothes, burst ahead of the pack and took the early lead.

"**It appears that Shinohara Seiko has taken the lead early on in this race!" **Aiko commentated.

"**Seiko, so fast!" **Sachiko exclaimed.

"**Shinohara was slow at the start, but has risen to the top spot and is setting an incredible pace!" **Aiko continued. **"It's as if she's got teleportation powers!"**

"**Teleport! Teleport!" **Sachiko yelled.

Packer crossed his arms and nodded his approval as he watched his girlfriend lead the race. Naomi was standing next him, watching Seiko on the television as well.

"**You think Seiko can win this, Packer?" **Naomi asked.

"**Of course she can," **Packer replied. **"I just hope she's careful, because not only is this a race, this is supposed to be an obstacle course, so there's no telling what Sachiko might throw her way."**

"**Yeah," **Naomi murmured.

Meanwhile, Seiko continued to run along, maintaining a solid gap to the pack behind her.

"**I'm nailing it right now, Naomi!" **Seiko shouted. All around her, various spirits were watching her with hungry eyes.

"**_Trip over! Hahahahaha!"_**

"**_You can do it!"_**

**_"Give your organs! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"_**

"**What a terrible scene," **Seiko murmured to herself. **"But there's no way that my current self will be flattered by such things, and that's because in my heart burns my love for Naomi… and Packer!"**

The spirits continued to taunt her as she ran past them.

"**_Fall in a hooooole! HAHAHAHAHA!"_**

"**I don't care what the voices say! All I can hear are the encouraging cheers of Naomi and Packer!" **Seiko shouted with encouragement. She further increased her pace, opening her lead on the rest of her competitors even more.

"**I'm gonna get this race over with in a flash! And then, I'm gonna escape from this place with Naomi and Packer! But I can only take one of them with me…" **she murmured with confliction as she thought back to the conversation she had with Naomi moments before the race began.

* * *

**_A FEW MINUTES EARLIER…_**

"**What? What did you just say, Seiko?" **Naomi inquired.

"**I'm gonna enter this race!" **Seiko replied.

"**But it could be dangerous, Seiko," **Naomi warned. **"You saw what happened to that red-haired guy, right?"**

"**Yeah, but if we stand here twiddling our thumbs, then I feel like something even more terrible might happen to us," **Seiko retorted. Naomi remained silent, knowing that her friend spoke the truth. **"Naomi, you have that feeling too, right? You know that something terrible is going to happen to us."**

"**Yeah," **Naomi agreed. **"I don't remember exactly, but I feel like we've faced many terrible happenings in this place."**

"**Which is why you can leave it to me!" **Seiko declared.

"**But, Seiko…" **Naomi began, but stopped when she saw a brief vision of Seiko hanging from a noose. Seiko became worried as she gazed into Naomi's terrified eyes.

"**What's wrong, Naomi?" **the amber-eyed girl inquired.

"**I thought I just saw you hang yourself just now…" **Naomi murmured. Seiko sucked in a breath at her words. **"Sorry, Seiko. It's probably just my imagination."**

"**I don't think so," **Seiko replied. **"I probably died in that fashion one of the previous times we were here."**

Naomi gasped in surprise.

"**Then, you remember it, too?" **she asked.

"**No," **Seiko replied, shaking her head. **"But if what Sachiko told us is true, then we've been killed and revived multiple times before. Which is all the more reason for me to overcome my fate by reaching that goal!"**

"**Is that for my sake?" **Naomi asked.

"**Yep," **Seiko replied. **"Because Naomi is… my best friend."**

'_Best friends…' _Seiko thought to herself. _'To Naomi, we're best friends. To me, though, she's something even more than that, or at least she was, but…' _She stole a glance at Packer, who was standing next to Sachiko with his arms crossed. _'Packer-kun managed to find his way into my heart, so… I want to reach the goal… for both of them!'_

"**Because we're best friends," **Seiko continued. **"I want to escape from here with you… and Packer-kun. The both of you mean a lot to me, and I don't want to see anything happen to either of you."**

"**Seiko…" **Naomi murmured, a small smile on her face. Seiko's cat-like grin appeared on her face.

"**Well, I'm sure Naomi would prefer Mochida-kun, though," **she said in a teasing voice. Naomi's cheeks flushed red at Seiko's teasing.

"**Seiko!" **Naomi whined.

"**I'm just kidding!" **Seiko giggled, before turning toward the starting line. **"Well, on that note, I, Seiko Shinohara, will be off!"**

Before Seiko could walk off, Naomi ran up to her and grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"**Seiko, wait a minute!" **she said.

"**Don't stop me, Naomi," **Seiko declared.

"**I know. I won't stop you anymore. But let me give you something before you go," **Naomi replied. Then, before Seiko could even react, Naomi wraps her arms around Seiko, giving her a warm hug. A happy screech erupted from Seiko's diaphragm.

"**Naomi, hugging me like that all of a sudden!" **Seiko giggled. **"You do know everyone's watching us, right?"**

"**Don't make fun of it," **Naomi retorted. **"This is the best encouragement that I can give to you."**

"**Sorry," **Seiko apologized. She glanced into Naomi's brown eyes and smiled. **"And thank you, Naomi."**

"**Seiko, I won't stop you anymore," **Naomi replied, returning the smile. **"But just promise me that you'll get to the goal safe and sound."**

Seiko gave Naomi a small nod.

"**You got it," **she replied.

* * *

**_BACK IN THE PRESENT…_**

Seiko broke from her thoughts as she continued to run down the hallway.

"**I feel so light," **she murmured to herself, brimming with confidence. **"I think this is the first time I've ran feeling so happy. I need to win this race… for Naomi's sake, and Packer's as well… because I'm not alone in this world anymore!"**

As she continued to run, the spirits watching the race continued to taunt her.

"**_You suuuure about that? You just might be a clown! Cloooown, cloooown, CLOOOOWN!"_**

Suddenly, Seiko came to a stop. A massive hole in the floor was blocking her path.

"**Crap, there's a hole in the ground and I can't go any farther," **Seiko muttered to herself. **"Did I take a wrong turn or something?"**

Looking around, she spots a slightly open door into a classroom.

"**Hm, that door is open," **she said. **"Maybe that's the way I need to go."**

Cautiously, she approaches the door and slowly pushes it open. Stepping into the classroom, she notices several round objects hanging from the ceiling. They appeared to be bread rolls.

"**Lots of bread… hanging from a ceiling?" **Seiko wondered out loud.

"**It's a bread-eating contest, Seiko Onee-Chan," **Sachiko said over the loudspeaker. The light bulb then came on in Seiko's head.

"**Ah, I see," **she murmured. **"You go to each classroom along the path, and you have to clear each little minigame in the classroom in order to pass." **She glanced up at the loudspeaker. **"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm gonna finish this, right… now!" **She leaps up and grabs the first piece of bread and begins gobbling it down.

Meanwhile, Naomi stares at the television with worried eyes, watching the courageous form of Seiko on it. But with each passing second, the bad feeling inside gradually gains strength.

"**Come on, Seiko. Do your best…" **she silently urged her friend. Sachiko chuckled in delight.

"**Seiko, you're trying hard," **she said. **"But didn't I tell you that this is a bread ****_eating _****contest?"**

"**Huh? What does she mean by that?" **Naomi asked.

Packer let out a gasp as he realized what Sachiko was emphasizing. Whirling around to face Sachiko, he could see the evil look on the girl's face.

"**It looks like Packer-kun realized what I meant," **she gloated. **"But Seiko can't hear you anymore. I've cut the audio off on that side."**

"**What?!" **Packer shouted. Even Aiko looked surprised.

"**Wow, Sachiko-Chan, you're so evil!" **Aiko commented. Sachiko let out a small giggle. Packer turned back toward the television. Seiko was about to grab the last bread roll in her line.

"**Yes! All that's left is one more!" **Seiko yelled. Packer gasped in horror.

"**Seiko, stop! Don't touch that bread!" **Packer shouted.

"**Now for the finisher… ****_PERO FINALE!" _**Seiko shouted as she ran toward the last bread roll.

"**Seiko! Not that last piece of bread!" **Naomi yelled. But she was too late.

As Seiko looked up, she gasped as the bread transformed in front of her. It eyed her with a hungry look.

"**A bread monster?!" **she shouted. She tried to dodge, but was not quick enough. In one bite, the monster enveloped her head. She hung lifelessly in its mouth.

"_**SEIKOOOOOOOOO!" **_Naomi screamed.

"**The bread eating is not about bread eating, but a competition about being eaten by bread!" **Sachiko laughed. Packer whirled around to face her once again, rage building up inside him, as he was tempted to power up one of his spells. Sachiko noticed this and shot him a small, knowing grin. **"I wouldn't do anything if I were you, Packer-kun, unless you want to lose a chance to save her." **Packer growled in response.

Suddenly, the string holding up Seiko and the bread monster snapped, dropping her back to the floor. Sachiko stared at the television in disbelief.

"**What?! The string broke…." **Sachiko muttered in disbelief. Naomi glanced back up at the monitor, hope rekindled once again.

"**Seiko! You're still alive!" **she shouted. Packer turned his attention back to the television, and gasped as he noticed that while Seiko was struggling to get the monster off her head, she didn't notice that she was stumbling backwards toward one of the large holes in the floor.

"**Seiko! The floor!" **Packer shouted, but he was too late. Seiko slipped on the edge, and she tumbled into the hole, as her friends watched in disbelief.

"_**SEIKO!" **_Naomi sobbed, collapsing onto the floor in tears. **"I should've stopped her by force! I knew this was going to happen after all! I'm sorry, Seiko… all because I couldn't believe myself…"**

As Naomi continued to sob, Yui tried her best to hold back her own tears as she knelt down beside her student in an attempt to comfort her.

"**Nakashima-san, it's not your fault," **Yui said.

"**No, it's all my fault!" **Naomi shouted. **"I knew all along that Seiko… wasn't going to live! It's all my fault! Seiko… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"** Yui rubbed Naomi's back, continuing to comfort her.

"**Nakashima-san… No, it's not your fault," **Yui replied. **"I should've been a good teacher and protected my students from getting into harm's way."**

Sachiko continued to chuckle at her handiwork.

"**Oh, I forgot to release the Facto!" **she said. **"And that means that Seiko is definitely going to die." **Sachiko continued to laugh as Aiko looked on.

"**Oh my, Sachiko-Chan, you're such a klutz," **she said. Naho shook her head in response.

"**I think the situation is a lot more serious than you know, Aiko," **Naho murmured.

Packer continued to stare at the monitor in shock, tears coming to his own eyes, and fire raging in his heart, until suddenly, his Future Sight activated. His eyes went wide, and his mind was filled with a vivid image, causing him to gasp in response…

_Much like he was doing at the present time, he was standing in the auditorium. Over by the wall, sitting on the ground, was everyone whom had participated in the race, including Seiko. All of them looked like they had just woken up from a long nap…_

Packer grunted as he came out of Future Sight. Remembering what he had been shown, a confused look came across his features.

"**Strange…" **he murmured. **"We just lost Seiko, and yet, my Future Sight tells me that she's still alive. This doesn't make any sense at all…"**

* * *

Meanwhile, the participating members of Byakudan, Kurosaki, Fukuroi and Mitsuki, had finished their portion of the bread-eating contest and were now back in the hallway, having taken the lead.

"**After a bread-eating contest is… a regular hallway!" **Kurosaki exclaimed, before a frown appeared on his face. **"Nah, no way in hell." **Just as he said this, the group ran across a gap in the floor. Stretched across the gap was a wooden plank, just wide enough for someone to step on. **"What is this long, thin wooden board? Wait a minute. I think I saw this is a manga once!" **He stepped up to the edge of the hole and peered down into it. A shudder ran up and down his spine. **"Geez, that's some drop, and I can't really see because it's so dark, but it's probably death if we fall down there. Maybe there's other traps here that we don't see!"**

"**What are you doing, Kurosaki?" **Mitsuki asked, arms crossed. Kurosaki scratched the back of his head nervously.

"**Well… I mean, this place looks like a place where there could be traps," **Kurosaki replied.** "So… it's kind of dangerous to cross without checking first, right?"**

Mitsuki's eyes widened with worry.

"**So, did you find anything?" **she inquired. Kurosaki took another look around, but couldn't really see anything out of the ordinary.

"**Hm, there doesn't seem to be any other traps that I'm aware of," **Kurosaki replied.

"**So there's really no point in standing around, is there?" **Mitsuki asked.

"**I… guess so," **Kurosaki answered, but he still felt a growing uneasiness.

"**Let's get going then," **Mitsuki declared, stepping onto the suspended wooden board. Kurosaki gasped in surprise.

"**Mi-Mitsuki-san?!" **he gasped. Mitsuki carefully balanced herself on the plank of wood.

"**It's… a bit thin, but it's fairly stable," **she said. **"It should be okay if we don't rush things too much."**

"**It's fine now, but it gets thinner the further you go! It's too risky!" **Kurosaki retorted. Mitsuki glanced back at him with a confused look.

"**Huh? It's too dark to see, but how do you know?" **she inquired.

"**This is very similar to that manga I once read!" **Kurosaki replied.

"**Even still, we have no other choice but to cross, right?" **Mitsuki answered. **"Otherwise, we'll never reach the goal, and if we reach the goal, we can get ourselves and every one of our friends out of this place." **Fukuroi nodded his approval.

"**True. If you're not gonna go, Kurosaki, then I'll take the liberty of going next," **he said, stepping onto the plank.

"**Fu-Fukuroi… you, too?" **Kurosaki gasped.

"**It's fine to be cautious, but being overly worried isn't gonna help matters much," **Fukuroi replied. **"Oh, and try to leave some space if you're coming along. It's better for one of us to survive than for all of us to go to hell."**

"**I… I know," **Kurosaki conceded as he followed Fukuroi onto the wooden platform. _'Even as we say that, I'm still worried…' _he thought. Suddenly, Sachiko's voice boomed over the loudspeaker.

"**Kurosaki, do you think that I'm going to do something to guys here?" **she inquired.

"**Of… of course I do," **came Kurosaki's reply. **"Anyone would in this situation."**

"**But in terms of this situation, I really won't do anything," **Sachiko retorted. Kurosaki's eyes widened in surprise.

"**What? You serious?" **he asked.

"**Yeah," **Sachiko replied. **"It's up to you to decide whether or not to trust me, but I think you should trust me this time around."**

"**Sachiko-Chan has no reason to keep promises, though," **Aiko's voice boomed through the loudspeaker.

"**That's right," **Sachiko agreed. **"If I wanted to, I could easily get rid of Kurosaki, just like that."**

After considering his options, Kurosaki let out a small sigh.

"**You're right. There's no point to be suspicious about her here," **he decided. **"And even Mitsuki-san said that if you don't know after thinking about it, then just go for it, so let's keep going."**

Taking a deep breath, he begins to walk on the plank, following Mitsuki and Fukuroi's lead.

"**Whoa… it's thin, but it's definitely walkable," **he surmised. **"All I have to do is just concentrate on where I place the center of my feet and slowly… slowly walk… Looks like I'll be able to do it…" **His voice trailed off as he glanced in front of him, past Mitsuki and Fukuroi. **"Wait, what the hell?!"**

Mitsuki and Fukuroi also came to a stop, letting out a small gasp. Standing on the other side of the gap was Yoshikazu, his trademark sledgehammer in his hands.

"**Don't tell me…" **Kurosaki began, before Yoshikazu let out a loud growl and slammed the sledgehammer down on the plank, causing it to shake. Kurosaki began to lose his balance.

"**H-Hey, stop! I'm gonna fall!" **Kurosaki yelled. Yoshikazu just growled and continued to slam the plank with his hammer. **"You said you weren't gonna do anything, Sachiko!"**

"**Yeah, I did," **came Sachiko's response over the loudspeaker. **"I said that **_**I**_** wouldn't do anything. I didn't say anything about the big imbecile over there, did I?"**

"**Oh, you clever little bitch," **Kurosaki mumbled under his breath. As the shaking intensified, he began to lose more control over his balance. **"Crap, I'm gonna fall!"**

Yoshikazu continued to growl louder and louder with each subsequent strike.

"**This board is just being smashed. Each time he hits it, it makes the shaking stronger!" **Kurosaki yelled.

"**Kurosaki, it's constructive waves!" **Fukuroi shouted. **"By hitting the hammer to the same frequency as the waves passing through the plank, it's creating an even larger amplitude with every hit!"**

"**If this keeps up, we're gonna be shaken off!" **Mitsuki yelled. **"What are we gonna do?!"**

In a panic, Kurosaki could think of only one way to save himself.

"**I give up! I give up, Sachiko!" **he yelled. Yoshikazu let out an inhuman moan and continued striking the wooden plank. **"I said I give up, damn it! I give! Stop with the damn hitting!"**

Just then, Yoshikazu finally stopped striking. Letting out a small moan, he turned and walked back down the hallway.

"**Well, I can't believe I actually got through to that brute," **Kurosaki sighed. At that moment, a large shadow appeared behind him.

"**Give up, my ass. You think such bullshit is gonna pass here?"**

Kurosaki turned around at the sound of the familiar voice.

"**Huh? Kizami?" **he asked. Kizami chuckled.

"**Sorry, Kurosaki," **he replied, before lashing out with a kick, knocking Kurosaki off the platform.

"_**KIZAMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" **_Kurosaki screamed as he was swallowed up by the abyss, followed by the sound of him impacting the ground far below. Kizami closed his eyes and sighed.

'_To feel anger at my pitiful friends… to think that I still had such emotions within me…' _Kizami thought. '_Friends? A friend? I actually thought that Kurosaki was my friend? Hmph… what a stupid distraction.' _

He began to laugh in a psychotic matter, as Mitsuki and Fukuroi watched him with horrified eyes, shocked by what they had just witnessed.

"**Kizami-kun, what… did you just do…?" **Mitsuki gasped. Kizami glanced up at her with a twisted smile on his face.

"**If you were watching, then why ask?" **Kizami inquired. **"I kicked Kurosaki off the platform, of course!"**

"**You… you murderer!" **Mitsuki shouted, rage flowing through her.

"**Murderer? I believe you're wrong," **Kizami replied. Mitsuki glared at him, not believing what she was hearing.

"**What am I wrong about?!" **she roared. **"Kurosaki was trying so hard not to fall, and you just… kicked him off and killed him!"**

"**Kurosaki had already failed," **Kizami retorted. **"Thus, he would've been dead either way. All I did was just speed up the inevitable."**

"**That's what society calls a murderer!" **Mitsuki yelled. Kizami sighed at her.

"**Yamamoto, why do you not understand such simple matters? It hurts my brain," **he said. Mitsuki clinched her hands into fists.

"**Not only did you disagree to participate in the race that could've possible saved everybody from Byakudan, but you even killed Kurosaki! Kurosaki was your friend, wasn't he?!" **she roared, tears coming to her eyes.

"**Friends… friends, huh?" **Kizami mumbled. **"To think… I still had such things in my life…"**

"**Kurosaki truly believed you were his friend," **Mitsuki continued. **"He'd say things like, 'He's a little strange, but he's not a bad guy,' and he truly meant it!"**

Kizami remained silent for a moment, pondering Mitsuki's words, before looking back up at her.

"**I'm not the type of person that Kurosaki believed me to be," **he answered. **"Simply put, Kurosaki didn't understand me at all." **

"**You're certainly right about that!" **Mitsuki shouted, glaring at Kizami with enraged eyes. **"If Kurosaki had known, then he would've…"**

"**Mitsuki, calm down!" **Fukuroi chimed in, trying to calm his enraged friend. Mitsuki turned and glared at Fukuroi, not believing what she was hearing.

"**Calm down?!" **she balked. **"Fukuroi, are you being serious?! This guy just… killed Kurosaki right in front of our eyes!"**

"**I know! I saw it with my own two eyes!" **Fukuroi exclaimed. **"But now's not the time to be arguing!"**

"**It seems Fukuroi is far more superior when it comes to reading the situation," **Kizami observed.

"**Kizami, I want to ask you something," **Fukuroi said. **"You weren't up to participating in this race, so why are you here?"**

"**Why, you ask?" **Kizami replied. **"The answer is simple."**

"**Simple? Why does…" **Fukuroi began, but Kizami cut him off.

"**Fine then," **he said, glaring at both of them. **"I'll show you my meaning in a simple way, and then beat you down to despair."**

Then, he revealed a belt wrapped around his waist that seemed transformable. He flicks the switch, and a machine-like noise starts to emanate from the belt.

"**Countdown!" **Kizami shouted. **"1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… 7… **_**8… 9… 10… 11… 12…!"**_

"**I think the countdown might be a bit too long," **Fukuroi said, a confused look on his face. Suddenly, the area around Kizami became bathed in darkness.

"**Don't fret, Fukuroi," **Kizami replied. **"Think of it as a countdown to your death, then it wouldn't feel so long, would it?"**

"**Um… how is it a countdown when the numbers are increasing?" **Fukuroi asked, his confusion deepening.

Meanwhile, Packer was watching this unfold on the television. He shook his head in disbelief at Kizami's antics.

"**Because Kizami is a fucking moron," **Packer said in response, even though Fukuroi couldn't hear him.

Mitsuki tried to see through the black smog, but it was too dark.

"**What the heck is going on? What's happening to Kizami?" **she wondered out loud.

Sachiko laughed over the loudspeaker.

"**It's a dark transformation!" **she yelled with glee.

"**Dark… transformation?" **Fukuroi stuttered, still as confused as ever. Meanwhile, Kizami continued to count.

"_**39… 40!" **_he yelled. _**"TRANSFORM!"**_

Suddenly, the darkness around him lifted, and Mitsuki and Fukuroi were shocked at Kizami's new appearance. It appeared that he was garbed in a mannequin costume, with a white piece of cloth attached to a belt that was wrapped around his waist.

"**Mannequin form, yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" **Kizami shouted.

Packer face palmed at what he was seeing.

"**Just when you think you've seen everything," **he mumbled.

"**Mannequin… form?!" **Fukuroi shouted, his confusion at a fever pitch. Kizami let out a small chuckle.

"**You better watch out," **he declared. **"Now that I'm in this form, I'm no longer Mr. Nice Guy."**

"**You never were nice," **Mitsuki retorted. **"And you said transform, but you're just wearing a mannequin costume, right? I saw the whole thing. Where did you get that, anyway? Some science room display or something?"**

Kizami glared at Mitsuki.

"**Yamamoto, it seems you want to die first, then," **he said.

"**Not particularly, no," **Mitsuki bit back.

"**I'll kill you anyway," **Kizami retorted. _**"LIMIT BREAK…" **_He suddenly leaped into the air toward them.

"_**MANNEQUIN KICK!"**_

"**Mitsuki!" **Fukuroi shouted as he stepped in front of the attack to protect Mitsuki. The kick catches Fukuroi in the chest and sends him flying off the platform. **"Mitsuki, you have to… you have to **_**surviveeeeeeeeeee!" **_Mere seconds later, the sound of an impact far into the hole could be heard.

"_**FUKUROI!" **_Mitsuki screamed. Kizami just chuckled.

"**Fukuroi, what an idiot, blocking me like that," **he said. **"Thanks to that, I got an easy kill on him."**

"**Kizami-kun, just what are you?" **Mitsuki whispered, tears in her eyes. Kizami let out a confused grunt at her inquiry. **"How can you just kill a companion that we've spent so long together with like that? Does life even have a value to you?! Do you really not feel anything?!"**

"**You… you say the same things as my idiot sister did," **Kizami growled. A confused look spread across Mitsuki's face. **"Whatever. To answer your question from before… my answer is yes. I feel no value in another one's life."**

"**And you call yourself a human?" **Mitsuki inquired incredulously.

"**I've wondered that myself," **Kizami replied. **"At the very least… I don't find any amusement from dicking around with you lot day in and day out."**

"**And so that's why you're trying to kill us?" **Mitsuki asked.

"**I'm… only allowing every life to be fair, and shine for as long as they can before I light them up," **Kizami declared, letting an evil chuckle escape from his lips. **"Hey, Yamamoto. You'll show it to me, right? The brightness that sets fire to my eyes! Show it to me!" **After letting out an evil laugh, he locks eyes with Mitsuki. **"Ah, yes. I'll give you my fiery embrace as a gift, although mine is… quite hot."**

Mitsuki gasped in horror as Kizami suddenly lights himself on fire. The entire costume he was wearing was now ablaze.

"**This is my so-called Fire State!" **Kizami shouted, letting out a psychotic laugh. Mitsuki gasped again. **"It's hot! It's hot! I'm gonna die, it's so hot! Goddamn, it's hot! Yamamoto, I'll share this scorching heat with you!" **He laughs psychotically once again.

"**Screw that shit!" **Mitsuki roared. **"You can just go and burn to death by yourself!"**

She tried to launch a kick at Kizami, but he catches it in his hands, much to Mitsuki's surprise.

"**Well, that was a poorly misjudged kick, Yamamoto," **Kizami said. **"Trying to kick me while I'm in this state, not to mention a middle kick, too. A nice attempt, I must say."**

Mitsuki gasped as she could feel the scorching heat on her foot.

"**However, it seems there was hardly any power behind it," **Kizami continued. Tears came to Mitsuki's eyes as the pain intensified. She tried to shake him loose, but wasn't strong enough to do so. **"Whoa, whoa. I know you're scared, but try not to shake too much! Otherwise, I might fall as well, you know?"**

Realizing what Kizami said, and seeing no other choice, Mitsuki came to a decision.

"**Then you die, too!" **she yelled, causing Kizami to gasp in response. **"If I'm not gonna survive this, then I can at least take you with me!"**

"**I-Impossible! This woman… what manliness!" **Kizami gasped.

"**Well, sorry for being so masculine!" **Mitsuki shouted. **"**_**NOW DIE!"**_

Kizami yelled as Mitsuki twisted her body, causing both of them to lost their balance and fall off the platform into the abyss below.

"**I was underestimating this woman's willpower!" **Kizami said as he continued to fall. **"To think that a human with such dedication still existed!"**

"**I'm not particularly happy about you praising me!" **Mitsuki shouted. **"I just wanted to take revenge on you for Kurosaki and Fukuroi's sake, that's all!"**

"**To put another's life above your own… I really don't understand humans after all," **Kizami mumbled.

"**I don't understand, either," **Mitsuki replied. **"But you want to try and understand because you don't, right?"**

"**Hm…" **was all Kizami could utter, before the both of them crashed into the ground, killing them both instantly.

* * *

"_**MITSUKI!" **_Tohko and Emi screamed. They collapsed to the floor, sobbing. The two other boys from Byakudan, Ryosuke Katayama and Tomohiro Ohkawa, stared at the television, shock registered on their faces.

"**I don't believe it," **Ryosuke gasped. **"Yamamoto, Fukuroi, Kizami, Kurosaki… all gone, in an instant…"**

At that moment, Packer's Future Sight activated once again. It showed him the same image as before, but it was much stronger this time around. He blinked his eyes as it ended, overwhelmed by the intensity of the image.

"**Same as before, but it was stronger this time. What the hell does it mean?" **Packer wondered to himself, confused.

Just then, the door to the auditorium opened, catching Packer's attention. He noticed two girls he had never seen before walk in. Both were wearing the uniform of St. Cruz Girls' High School: a white single-breasted jacket with red edges, a pleated white skirt with red edges, black stockings, brown loafers and a white beret with red edges. Both girls let out a confused grunt as they noticed the group of students gathered around a small television set, and a little girl in a red dress.

"**What's going on, wife?" **Ran asked.

"**I have no idea," **Azusa replied.

"**Ah, St. Cruz Girl's High School, Year 2-3 Takai Azusa, Year 2-1 Kobayashi Ran, you're a little late, but welcome," **Sachiko greeted them.

Ran felt a chill run up her spine at the young girl's words.

"**W-w-w-wife! That girl! Those clothes!" **Ran exclaimed.

"**Step back, Ran. She could be dangerous," **Azusa warned. Ran quickly stepped back, and Sachiko glanced at Azusa with a curious look, arms crossed.

"**What? You want to fight?" **Sachiko challenged.

"**Red clothes… you're the girl that was on the murder mystery newspapers scattered around the school, correct?" **Azusa inquired. Sachiko rolled her eyes.

"**I hate you," **she growled.

"**Trapping so many innocent people, and you…!" **Azusa continued, but was cut off by Aiko.

"**Oh, sorry, we're gonna have none of that today," **she interjected, stepping between Sachiko and Azusa.

"**Eh? What do you mean?" **Azusa asked.

"**Today is the Heavenly Host Cultural Festival, you see," **Aiko explained. **"Think of it as a school carnival right now."**

"**Really?" **Ran spoke up. **"Then, what event is going on right now?"**

"**We are currently watching an obstacle course race. You're welcome to join us if you like," **Aiko replied. Ran glanced over at the television and recognized one of the competitors.

"**Hey, I kind of remember that guy walking on those planks," **the purple-haired girl said, pointing at the blonde male on the television screen. Azusa smiled.

"**Oh, it's Knight-kun. He looks like he's doing well," **Azusa replied, causing Packer to turn his attention toward her.

'_Did she just call Yoshiki Knight-kun? What exactly is she implying?' _Packer thought.

"**That's right! It's Kishinuma-kun! I'm glad he's doing alright!" **Ran exclaimed.

"**Well, those Knight-kun's, as you call them, are actually in the middle of an escape race. If you make it to the goal, then you can escape from here with one other person," **Aiko explained. **"Do either of you want to give it a try?"**

"**Does that mean we can both escape?" **Ran asked. Azusa, however, had other ideas.

"**I'm going to pass on that offer," **she declared. **"I just can't bring myself to leave Sachiko-Chan like this."**

"**Well, that's my wife for you!" **Ran yelled gleefully.

"**Then you'll have to be patient for now," **Aiko said. **"We don't want to lay to waste the troubles Knight-kun and the others are going through now, would we?"**

"**You're right," **Azusa agreed. **"I never had any intentions to do so myself."**

"**Then I'm gonna be patient with my wife, too," **Ran spoke up. Azusa smiled down at her young friend.

"**Thank you, Ran," **she said.

"**It's only obvious," **Ran giggled.

As Ran and Azusa continued to talk with Aiko, Ayumi was staring over at them with a curious expression on her face. She glanced back at Satoshi.

"**Mochida-kun, do you recognize those girls over there at all?" **she asked. Satoshi glanced over at the white-clad girls.

"**Not really," **he replied. **"You'd think I'd remember such girls with unique personalities like such, but I can't say I've met them."**

"**Hm, maybe it's just my imagination…" **Ayumi murmured. **"But I get the feeling that I've met them somewhere before. But where?"**

* * *

Meanwhile, Yoshiki managed to cross the planks and continued down the hallway toward another classroom.

"**Great. Another classroom, with another challenge lined up, I bet," **he murmured to himself. **"Well, no use standing around." **He slid the door open and walked inside. On the desks inside the classroom were several mysterious cardboard boxes. **"What kind of traps are there in store for me?" **Then, he glanced off to the side and noticed a familiar compatriot kneeling over one of the boxes. **"Morishige, what are you doing?"**

"**Oh, Kishinuma," **Morishige acknowledged, looking up from his spot.

"**So, are you stuck here or something?" **Yoshiki asked. **"What exactly are we supposed to do in this room?"**

"**Well, I'd say this is more of a mental challenge than physical, because… well, take a look," **Morishige replied, motioning him over to one of the boxes. Yoshiki looked down inside… and his eyes widened in surprise, not to mention horror.

"**What the…?" **he stuttered. Lying inside the box was a maid outfit. **"Is this a maid outfit? It's even got cat ears…" **He gave Morishige a weird look. **"Morishige, I didn't know you were into this sort of thing."**

"**Like hell I do!" **Morishige yelled angrily. **"This is why I'm stuck here!"**

"**Wait, don't tell me…" **Yoshiki gasped. **"Does that mean that we have to choose a box with an outfit like this and…"**

"**And wear it for the rest of the race," **Morishige finished. **"Otherwise, we'll be stuck in this room with no way out. According to Sachiko's instructions, that is."**

"**That's it," **Sachiko announced over the loudspeaker. **"Come on, Kishinuma, hurry up and choose a box so you can hurry along to the next room."**

Yoshiki let out an exasperated sigh.

"**Well, shit," **he growled. **"Knowing her, I'm guessing these outfits aren't going to be the prettiest for my eyes to see."**

"**Most likely yes," **Morishige replied.

"**Do we really have to wear this crap?" **Yoshiki asked.

"**I tried to open the door before, but it wouldn't budge," **Morishige explained. Yoshiki let out another exasperated sigh.

"**Fucking figures," **Yoshiki mumbled. **"I really don't want to wear those embarrassing clothes, but it is for Shinozaki's sake, so… I guess I'll have to do it." **

Yoshiki opened one of the boxes nearest him… and immediately wished he didn't.

"**Oh, you've got to be shitting me," **he groaned. He reached into the box and pulled out a pure white wedding dress. **"Fuck if I'm gonna wear this!"**

"**I thought maybe those are here because of the chance of a girl coming through here, but it seems it's just to piss us men off," **Morishige surmised. Yoshiki glared up at his cobalt-haired companion.

"**What are you calmly analyzing the situation for?!" **he yelled. Morishige just shrugged.

"**Well, which do you prefer? The wedding dress or the maid outfit?" **Morishige asked. Yoshiki stared blankly at him.

"**Do I **_**really **_**have to answer that?" **he inquired.

"**Well, I think the wedding dress is better off in this situation, but it's entirely up to you," **Morishige explained.

"**I don't know…" **Yoshiki murmured, feeling unsure about the whole situation.

"**Well, we could trade outfits if you want," **Morishige offered. **"We're still in a disadvantageous situation either way, but at least we'll both be in outfits that we both prefer."**

After considering his options, Yoshiki let out a small sigh.

"**Yeah, you're right," **he said. **"That one would be better."**

"**Then let's do it," **Morishige replied, handing the maid outfit to Yoshiki while Yoshiki gave the dress to Morishige.

After several minutes of fumbling about, both had their, for a lack of a better term, outfits on and ready to go. Morishige pulled up on the zipper on Yoshiki's outfit, fastening it in place.

"**That should do it," **Morishige said.

"**Thanks, man," **Yoshiki replied. **"There's no way I could get this thing on by myself. How do girls wear this crap, anyways?"**

"**Beats me," **Morishige retorted with a shrug. Yoshiki stared down at the cat ears left on the desk.

"**Are these cat ears part of the costume?" **Yoshiki asked. **"Ah, whatever."**

The two began walking toward the exit. Morishige glanced back at the cat ears.

"**You sure you don't want to put those on?" **he inquired. **"You might need them to advance, you know."**

"**I'll worry about it when the time comes," **Yoshiki replied.

"**I guess so, but I think it's a good idea to take them just in case," **Morishige suggested. Yoshiki scratched his chin as he pondered Morishige's suggestion, before nodding in response.

"**You're right. Hold on a minute," **the blonde said, turning around and walking back toward the table which the cat ears were resting on.

"**No, I'll go on ahead," **Morishige replied. **"You'll catch up anyway. I'm sure the next stage of this race will have more traps and…" **Before he could finish his sentence, a faint 'tink' could be heard, and he felt a searing pain shoot through his abdomen. He began gagging and choking before he fell forward into darkness.

Yoshiki stopped as he heard Morishige's grunts of pain, and then he heard two impacts of the ground.

"**Morishige?" **he said, turning around. What he saw next nearly made his eyes bug out of his head. Stretched across the room was a thin strand of what appeared to be piano wire, and it was dripping with blood. And lying on the floor in a pool of blood… was Morishige, his body completely severed in half at the torso. He was lying face down, his glasses lying near him.

"**Mo-Morishige?!" **Yoshiki yelled, as he screamed in anguish. **"Why?! You're lying! No… more… Why… Why do we have to be subjugated to this?! Why did I have to see your dying face?!"**

Suddenly, another little 'chink' could be heard, and Yoshiki gasped as he felt the same searing pain roar through his body as well. He coughed a bit of blood as his vision began to darken.

"**Damn… it…" **he gasped, losing consciousness as his body split in two, the two halves falling away from each other.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the auditorium, the horrifying sight of Yoshiki and Morishige's body being split in two via the piano wire trap was being broadcasted on the television. Chihaya let out a scream at the sight, as did Nana.

"**No… Kishinuma-san!" **Nana screamed.

"**Nana, don't look!" **Nari commanded. **"Chihaya, you too!" **Both girls looked away as Nari focuses her gaze upon Sachiko. **"This is… this is horrible! Why did you show this to us?!"**

Nana finally broke down completely, sobs wracking her body. Chihaya stared at Nari with a terrified look.

"**Nari-Chan, is everyone… is everyone going to die?!" **she screamed.

"**Don't say such negative things at a time like this!" **Nari yelled.

"**But…!" **Chihaya began, but Nari cut her off.

"**There's no point in saying something like that at this time!" **Nari continued. **"Can't you see that Nana is in more shock than you are right now?"**

"**I-I'm sorry," **Chihaya apologized, close to tears herself.

"**Thanks, Nari-Chan," **Nana said, letting a few sniffles escape. **"And you too, Chihaya-Chan." **She let out a soft sigh. **"I'm in shock, but… I'd say Morishige and Kishinuma's close friends are more in shock than I am right now."**

"**Yeah," **Nari and Chihaya said at the same time.

Satoshi stared down at the screen, tears building up in his eyes.

"**Yoshiki… Morishige…" **he mumbled, tears spilling out of his eyes.

"**This is just horrible," **Naomi shuddered.

"**You're kidding…" **Ayumi gasped, her voice choked with sobs.

"**Shige-nii… **_**SHIGE-NII!" **_Mayu screamed as she collapsed to her knees, sobbing her eyes out. Sachiko stared at them, a blank look on her face.

"**Sachiko believes that rules must be followed," **she declared.

"**Onii-Chan," **Yuka sobbed, burying her face in her brother's chest.

"**Don't worry, Yuka. I won't die on you," **Satoshi replied, trying to reassure his sister.

"**I didn't like Kishinuma and Morishige because they didn't listen to me," **Sachiko continued.

"**And… that's why… you killed them?" **Satoshi asked, stumbling over the words.

"**I gave them a chance, you know?" **Sachiko continued. **"But Kishinuma and Morishige didn't follow along. They should've just obediently had a good time."**

"**Yeah… I guess so," **Satoshi conceded.

"**I like Satoshi because you're obedient," **Sachiko giggled.

"**Thank you," **Satoshi said.

"**You'll show me, right, Satoshi?" **Sachiko asked. Satoshi looked at her oddly. **"Sachiko… wants to see romcom."**

"**That again, huh?" **Satoshi said.

"**And how do you expect to have a romcom, or even a Hysteric Birthday for that matter, when you've killed almost half the people here?" **Packer interjected, walking up to them. **"Didn't stop to think that one through, did you, Sachiko?"**

Sachiko stared up at the green-haired boy with a blank look on her face.

"**No, I suppose I didn't," **she replied. Packer knelt down in front of her, a knowing look on his face.

"**But that can be easily fixed by you, can it?" **Packer inquired. **"Being the ultimate creator of this place, you have the power to bring everyone back to life." **Everyone present gasped at Packer's inquiry. **"Am I not correct?"**

Sachiko slowly let a small smile appear on her features.

"**I suppose your Future Sight told you this, didn't it?" **Sachiko replied. All of the Kisaragi members glanced at Packer, wondering what Sachiko was insinuating about their green-haired companion.

"**Yeah… I guess you could say that," **Packer answered. **"So, how about it?"**

"**Well… if it means I get to see a romantic comedy, then so be it," **Sachiko declared. Mayu let out a surprised gasp.

"**Does that mean Shige-nii is going to be back to normal?" **she asked with hope in her voice.

"**Sure," **Sachiko replied. **"I mean, you guys have died here countless times. If you leave it to me, then it's rather easy to do."**

"**Sachiko-Chan, you're rather amazing, aren't you?" **Aiko asked with admiration.

"**I'm pretty much a god-like existence in here," **Sachiko explained. **"All I have to do is snap my fingers and Presto! Everything is back to the way it was before."**

"**Amazing," **Aiko admired again. A few feet away, Naho let out an exasperated sigh.

"**What is Aiko thinking?" **Naho mumbled. **"Well, at any rate, it looks like we'll have to follow Sachiko's words for now."**

"**Do you think we can do anything about Sachiko-Chan right now?" **Sayaka inquired.

"**I want to try my exorcism abilities on her, but she doesn't seem to show any of her blind spots so easily, so there's not much we can do right now," **Naho explained, crossing her arms and showing a serious look on her face. **"We haven't met up with Kibiki-sensei, so I don't want to die quite yet, if at all."**

"**She's pretty much an omnipotent being in this school," **Sayaka said. **"She's at a totally different level from the other spirits here, it seems."**

"**Yeah," **Naho agreed. **"Sachiko is the engine that powers this dimension, an omnipotent being, as you said. Fighting her head on will just spell disaster for us."**

"**So, does that mean that those guys are going to do stuff according to what Sachiko has laid out?" **Sayaka asked.

"**I'm sure they are," **Naho replied.

After a few moments of thinking, Satoshi came to a decision and walked up to Sachiko.

"**Alright, Sachiko," **he began. **"We'll do the romcom. So…"**

Suddenly, from out of nowhere…

"_**GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!"**_

Everybody looked around, wondering who made that shout. Packer arched an eyebrow.

"**Goal? What, are we playing soccer all of a sudden?" **he wondered out loud.

Sachiko's mouth dropped open as she stared at the television screen. Naho and Sayaka's eyes widened as they recognized the voice.

"**That voice… is that Inumaru?" **Sayaka asked.

"**Seems so," **Naho agreed.

All eyes in the room shot toward the television, and everyone's mouths collective dropped open when they saw what was on it. Shown on the TV was Yuki and Ryou, holding a piece of long tape, signifying the finish line, and crossing it, holding both hands up in a victory pose, was none other than Inumaru.

"**Sayaka! Did you see my accomplishment?" **Inumaru said into the camera.

"**Not in the least…" **Sayaka replied, but her voice trailed off as she recognized the clothes that he was wearing, and could feel her blood boiling once again. **"Hey, what are you wearing?!"**

"**It's Sayaka's favorite clothes," **Inumaru said matter-of-factly. **"Why do you ask?"**

"**Why are you saying that like it's common sense?!" **Sayaka shouted.

"**It came out in the dress-changing part of the race, so there wasn't much I could do," **Inumaru explained. **"Don't worry. When I get out of them, I'll wash them and put them back in your dresser for you."**

"**Don't put it back without my permission, you pervert!" **Sayaka shot back.

"**Does that mean I get to keep it?" **Inumaru asked innocently. Sayaka could feel her blood coming to a boil, and Naho had to hold a hand over her mouth to keep from snickering out loud.

"**Throw it out!" **Sayaka roared. **"Actually, burn it to a crisp!"**

"**What?!" **Inumaru shouted. **"Isn't it a very precious set of clothing that you got on your birthday from your mom last year?" **Sayaka's eyes widened in shock, wondering how he knew of such an event.

"**Why the hell do you know all the details?!" **Sayaka shouted. **"I don't need it! I'll even apologize to my mom about it!"**

"**Okay, I'll take the responsibility and apologize for you," **Inumaru conceded. **"After all, it is all my fault. I can't allow you to apologize for something that you weren't a part of in the first place."**

Sayaka gritted her teeth as her frustration reached a fever pitch.

"**I want to hit him!" **she growled, fists clenched tightly. **"I want to hit Inumaru so badly right now!"**

"**Now, now, calm down, Sayaka," **Naho said, trying to cool her friend down a bit. Sayaka glanced at her with a confused look. **"Thanks to Inumaru-kun, the topic we had been discussing has been completely ruined."**

Sayaka continued to stare at her friend in confusion, before realizing what she meant.

"**Of course!" **she realized. **"Because he won the race, he wins Sachiko's prize!"**

"**Exactly," **Naho replied.

Sachiko stared blankly at the TV screen. Inumaru's survival instincts were unexpected even for her, it seemed.

"**How did a mortal human make it to the goal?" **Sachiko muttered incredulously. **"How… how…?"**

"**Hm, it may be because Haruyuki-kun has never died in this dimension," **Aiko explained. **"His bloodline may have something to do with it, as well." **Sachiko remained silent, obviously still in shock. **"But it's okay, Sachiko-Chan."**

"**Eh? What do you mean?" **Sachiko inquired curiously.

"**If you keep your promise and send him back to the real world, I'm sure you'll be rather pleased with the result," **Aiko replied.

"**Really?" **Sachiko asked.

"**Indeed. I'll guarantee it," **Aiko retorted. **"If it doesn't go according to plan, then I'll return the paranormal items you gave me."**

"**Hm… I'm not quite sure what you mean, but I guess if you say so…" **Sachiko mumbled. She reached over and reluctantly grabs the microphone. **"Inumaru, congratulations on finishing the obstacle course."**

"**Thank you," **Inumaru said, bowing in respect.

"**As promised, I'll send you back to your world," **Sachiko replied. **"Return to the auditorium so you can choose who you wish to take with you."**

"**Right away," **Inumaru said, running into the hallway. The screen went black, and Sachiko turned back to Aiko.

"**We'll deal with that momentarily," **the little girl said. **"But back to the business we had before… Ah, that's right. We were talking about the romcom. Is everyone else okay with that?"**

Ayumi stepped forward.

"**I was going to do it to begin with," **the bluenette replied.

"**If I do the romcom, then Seiko will come back, right?" **Naomi inquired.

"**Yes, indeed!" **Sachiko said.

"**Then, I'll do it," **Naomi replied.

"**I will do it, too," **Mayu spoke up.

"**Mayu isn't appearing in the play, though," **Sachiko said.

"**But if it means that Shige-nii will come back, then I'll do it," **Mayu offered.

"**I'll participate, as well," **Yui said.

"**Sensei will do it too, huh?" **Sachiko said. **"What about you, Yuka?"**

"**I-I'll do it, too," **Yuka replied. **"I'm not too sure what I have to do, but…"**

"**Oh, I'll do it too!" **Satsuki shouted enthusiastically.

"**I'll do it, too," **Tohko said.

"**I will, too," **Emi joined in.

"**I'm not too sure, but if my name is up, then I guess I'll do it as well," **Azusa said.

"**H-Hey, wife! Don't go barging into dangerous situations!" **Ran shouted worriedly.

"**It's not dangerous. I just want to see a romcom," **Sachiko said.

"**Romcom?" **Ran repeated. **"That means my wife is going to get friendly with someone other than me? No freaking way!"**

"**Ran, please read the current situation," **Azusa pleaded.

"**No way! My wife is my property!" **Ran shouted indignantly.

"**Azusa isn't a member of the harem, either," **Sachiko said matter-of-factly.

"**Oh, I see," **Ran realized. **"Then I forgive."**

"**So, does that mean that nobody has any objections?" **Sachiko asked everyone.

"**It seems so, Sachiko-Chan," **Aiko replied.

"**You see, Sachiko? Everyone is willing to do this romantic comedy for you," **Packer said. **"So, how about living up to your end of the bargain and bring the others back?"**

"**Very well. Everything is back to normal… now!" **Sachiko said, snapping her fingers. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, and then, everyone whom had participated in the race were now back in the auditorium.

Seiko looked around, a confused look on her face.

"**Huh? Where am I?" **she wondered out loud.

"_**SEIKO!" **_Naomi shouted, running up to Seiko and hugging her with all her might, tears running down her cheeks.

"**What's wrong, Naomi?" **Seiko asked.

"**Don't 'what's wrong' me," **Naomi replied. **"You promised that you'd make it to the goal, and yet… I was about to lose Seiko because of me…"**

Naomi let out a few sniffles, feeling tears come to her eyes once again. Seiko's face drooped as she realized what Naomi meant.

"**Oh… so I died again, huh?" **she said solemnly. **"Sorry for making you worry, Naomi."**

Finally, a smile appears on Naomi's face.

"**You're back. That's all that matters," **Naomi said happily. Packer walked up to the both of them, a broad smile on his face.

"**That's just like you to make us worry, Seiko," **he said teasingly. **"Where are your manners?"**

Seiko looked over at him with a pout.

"**Hey!" **she said, before noticing the grin on his face, causing her to break into a small giggle as well. **"I'll have to get you back for that later, Packer-kun." **Packer just shrugged.

"**If you say so," **he replied with a laugh.

Mitsuki, Fukuroi and Kurosaki were also reunited with their Byakudan classmates, as well as Shimada and Kizami, who still had no idea what was going, as it appeared they couldn't remember what had happened to them in the race.

An unconscious Morishige also came to, sitting next to the wall. Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, he shakily stood up, glancing around in confusion.

"**This is… the auditorium…" **he mumbled. Just then, Mayu ran up to him, tears in her eyes.

"**Shige-nii!" **she shouted with joy.

"**What's wrong, Mayu?" **Morishige asked in confusion.

"**Um… I'm just happy that Shige-nii is back, that's all," **Mayu replied.

"**Came back?" **Morishige repeated, his confusion deepening. **"What was I doing up until now? It was as if I was experiencing a bad dream or something."**

"**Y-Yeah, it was probably just a bad dream," **Mayu agreed nervously. _'I wonder of Shige-nii would lose it again if he remembers what happened…' _she thought to herself.

Yoshiki, who was lying face down on the ground, also regains consciousness. Bringing himself up to one knee, he takes in his surroundings.

"**Huh? This is the auditorium," **he muttered, confusion etched on his features.

"**Yoshiki!" **Satoshi shouted, running up to him. **"Yoshiki, you're really alive?"**

"**Well… yeah, I'm alive," **Yoshiki replied matter-of-factly. Packer walked over to him as well.

"**How do you feel, Yoshiki?" **the green-haired young man asked. Yoshiki held a hand to his head, a throbbing headache beginning to form.

"**Like hammered shit," **the blonde replied, inciting a chuckle out of both Satoshi and Packer. Ayumi walked over to him as well, a scowl on her face.

"**Geez, even you caused us trouble, Kishinuma-kun!" **she scolded. Yoshiki looked at his friends in confusion, before realization him like a bolt of lightning.

"**Wait… does that mean…?" **he inquired.

"**Yeah… you didn't make it to the goal, Yoshiki," **Packer answered. Yoshiki sighed in frustration.

"**Damn it," **he muttered to himself. **"Figures. I have a chance to do some good for once, and I completely blow it. Shows what good I am…"**

Ayumi's face softened as she noticed the dejected look on Yoshiki's face.

"**Don't worry, Kishinuma-kun," **she encouraged. **"We'll find another way out of here."**

Yoshiki glanced over at the bluenette, a small smile appearing on his face at her encouragement.

"**Yeah, you're right, Shinozaki," **he agreed. Just then, Azusa walked over, a small smile on her face as well.

"**How thoughtless of you, making a girl worry like that," **she said teasingly. Yoshiki glared over at her.

"**Huh? Who are you calling thoughtless?" **he inquired.

"**You, of course," **Azusa replied. **"Your name will go to vain, Knight-kun." **Packer arched his eyebrow at the last comment.

"**I told you, I'm Kishinuma, and it has nothing to do with me being a knight and…" **Yoshiki began, before stopping himself short, thinking about what he just said. **"Wait, what? What is this memory…?"**

"**Oh, so you finally remember what happened between us?" **Azusa asked.

"**Don't put it in such a weird way!" **Yoshiki shouted. **"What do you mean 'between us'?"**

"**Knight-kun? Yoshiki, do you know this girl?" **Packer asked.

"**I… feel like I do, but my memories are all jumbled right now," **Yoshiki replied. All the while, Ayumi had been observing the conversation between Yoshiki and Azusa.

"**Between us? What does that mean?" **she said to herself. **"Come to think of it, is Kishinuma-kun acquaintances with that pretty girl?"**

Azusa glanced over at Ayumi, who had been observing her.

"**Do you want something from me, Shinozaki-san?" **the blonde girl asked. Ayumi jolted out of her reverie.

"**Eh? Oh, um… Nothing," **Ayumi said hurriedly, before her face twisted in confusion. _'Huh? This girl knows my name? What is this? Does this mean Kishinuma-kun and I have met this girl before…?' _she thought.

Sachiko claps her hands together to get everyone's attention.

"**And so, Sachiko has returned everything back to normal," **she declared.

"**Yeah, not it's our turn to keep our promise," **Satoshi said. **"We'll follow your script and show you a romcom. You'd better burn it into your memory!"**

"**Yeah!" **Sachiko replied. **"Sachiko is really looking forward to the romcom! Show me all sorts of romcoms, okay?"**

"**You bet," **Satoshi replied.

"**I think you're being a little too enthusiastic, Satoshi," **Naomi said.

"**You think so?" **Satoshi asked.

Packer walked up to Sachiko and kneeled down in front of her so that they were eye to eye.

"**Aren't you forgetting something, little girl?" **Packer inquired. Sachiko stared at the green-haired boy in confusion. **"You never gave me my shot at the obstacle course, remember?"**

"**Oh… Right, I forgot," **Sachiko replied with a giggle. **"That reminds me… Are there any other challengers? If so, we'll end the race as it currently is."**

"**Well, I doubt there is anyone here that is brave enough to say they will in this situation," **Aiko spoke up.

Everyone remained silent.

"**Very well, then," **Sachiko said, snapping her fingers. **"All right, Packer-kun, time to see if you can survive my new and improved obstacle course. These are the challenges that lie before you. Take a look at the TV…"**

Appearing on the television was the obstacles now set up specifically for Packer. The entire layout had been switched around. Now, the first obstacle had not one, but three bread monsters waiting for him. The second obstacle was the room with the boxes of clothes, now completely crisscrossed with sharpened piano wire. The third obstacle was the gap everyone had to cross on a thin plank, but now, the plank was nowhere to be found, and the gap had been lengthened significantly. The fourth and final obstacle was a series of trap doors opening and closing, and just past that, was the finish line, marked by two of the child spirits, Ryou and Yuki.

_**(Shadow Hearts FTNW's Great Ghost Dance begins playing in the background)**_

"**You've got to be kidding me!" **Seiko shouted. **"This is insane! Nobody can survive an obstacle course like this!"**

"**But Packer-kun will," **Sachiko retorted, before glancing at him with a knowing look. **"Won't you?"**

"**Absolutely," **Packer replied, turning to face the door leading out into the hallway that will take him through the obstacle course. Seiko's eyes widened in shock.

"**But, Packer…!" **Seiko shouted worriedly.

"**Just trust me, Seiko," **Packer replied. **"I can do this."**

"**Just to clarify, you don't have to do any of the things the other competitors had to do in each of the rooms," **Sachiko explained. **"The only thing you have to do is survive and reach the goal. Nothing else matters."**

"**Understood," **Packer acknowledged.

"**Well, Packer-kun," **Sachiko finished. **"Good luck."**

Packer nodded and turned back toward the door to the auditorium. He remained silent for a few moments, thinking about the challenge that was now lying in wait for him. Letting out a small sigh, he brought his hands together, as if in prayer. Suddenly, a light filled his palms before disappearing. Opening them, a sapphire badge with lighter blue stripes crisscrossing each other on the right side and an insignia of the Covenant on the left now rested in his hands.

"**Time to show what I can do," **Packer said softly to himself.

Muttering a small incantation, he attached the badge to his uniform. The Kisaragi group was staring at him with interest.

"**What exactly is he doing?" **Yoshiki asked.

"**I have no idea," **Ayumi replied.

After several moments, light began to encompass the badge, revealing the hidden power within. Everyone let out a surprised gasp at what they were seeing, and Seiko's eyes were wide as saucers. After several seconds, the light emanating from the badge suddenly exploded outward, encompassing Packer's body within its aura. From seemingly out of nowhere, new clothing began to appear on Packer's body. When the light finally faded, everyone present minus Sachiko let out another shocked gasp, and Seiko stared in admiration at what her eyes were gazing upon.

_**(Shadow Hearts FTNW's From the New World begins playing in the background)**_

Packer now wore a dark green heavy jacket, with the badge showing the Covenant logo attached on the upper right portion of his jacket, near the base of his neck. The jacket had green glass-like armor attached to both sides of the jacket, on either side of the zipper that ran up the middle of his jacket. He wore dark green gloves with the glass-like armor attached from the wrist to the back of his hands, and also donned the Covenant logo on the back. He also wore dark green pants with the same type of armor as the gloves attached to his thighs, with a gold belt around his waist, with a belt buckle that also donned the Covenant logo. He was also wearing shoulder pads that looked to be made out of pure emerald, connected to a cape that extended down to his waist. Four gold shield emblems were attached to the collar of his jacket, signifying his rank as an Elite Knight of the Covenant. He also wore knee pads and shin-high boots that also looked like they were made out of emerald. His trusty long sword, Shiden, was strapped to his back.

"**So, he's the one whose elements are all in balance," **Azusa remarked. **"He's a Knight of the Covenant!"**

"**Knight of the Covenant?" **Seiko repeated, the words sounding very familiar to her. **"Why do I get the feeling I've heard that before? Maybe from the last time we were here?"**

"**It's possible," **Naomi replied. **"I'm getting a feeling a déjà vu from this as well."**

"**But what exactly are the Knights of the Covenant?" **Yoshiki asked.

"**They are humans with supernatural powers, each using powers representing one of the eight elements that make up the universe: fire, ice, earth, wind, lightning, water, darkness, and light," **Azusa explained. **"Each of the Knights typically only have one element they can control, but from what I've been feeling, this Knight can utilize all eight of the elements. In essence, it makes him the most powerful Knight I've ever heard of. And each of the Knights uses these powers in the name of all that is good."**

"**Incredible," **Seiko admired.

Packer cracked his neck, and prepared to summon his powers for the first time. Suddenly, he became bathed in a bright white light, and he growled as the energy within him built up. Shooting his eyes forward, he shouted the name of his intended spell.

"_**SHINING SPRINT!"**_

Utilizing the energy within him, Packer suddenly exploded into a superfast sprint, shooting out the door and down the hallway at breakneck speed, leaving a spectral trail behind him. As everyone continued to gape at the sight, Sachiko turned her attention back to the TV.

"**Gather around, everyone! We can watch him on the television," **Sachiko said.

Everyone crowded around the small screen, wondering if Packer could somehow make it past the obstacle course.

Within a matter of moments, Packer had already reached the room to the first obstacle. Sensing the attack coming, Packer quickly unsheathed Shiden just as he entered the room. Letting out a roar, the three bread monsters jumped at Packer, but the emerald-clad warrior was ready for them. Quickly powering up a spell, his sword suddenly blazed with fire.

"_**FIRESLASH!"**_

With lightning quick reflexes, he slashed the monsters with the fire-covered blade, taking all three out in one fell swoop. Not stopping his momentum, he flashed out of the room and down the hall.

The next room was crisscrossed with sharpened strands of piano wire. With his sword at the ready and still blazing with fire, Packer leaped into a somersault while holding the blade out in front of him, performing a flaming somersault slash, easily slicing through the piano wire in his path. And because he was still in Shining Sprint, he covered the length of the room in no time at all. Landing on his feet near the door, he shot out of it and exploded down the hall once again, never once losing his momentum.

He had some ground to cover before reaching the next obstacle, the massive gap in the floor. As he raced along, papers were being blown all over the place as he raced by. As he neared the gap, he put his head down and tried to squeeze every ounce of speed he could out of his Shining Sprint. Right before he reached the edge, he leaped into the air, the momentum from his sprint carrying him safely over the gap and to the other side. He sped down the hallway and down the stairs toward his final obstacle.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs, Packer could see the finish line in front of him, but in order to reach it, he had to cross the trap doors that were littered throughout the hallway leading up to the finish line. Increasing his momentum, he sped over the trap doors as they opened up, barely reaching solid ground with each step he took. As he neared the finish, he leaped into the air once more, and with the momentum he had built up, managed to jump over the rest of the trap doors and landed safely past the finish line, kicking up a large cloud of dust around him. When the smoke finally cleared, Packer stood triumphantly in the winner's circle, having successfully completed the obstacle course.

"**He did it!" **Seiko shouted as the rest of the Kisaragi group erupted into cheers.

"**I figured as much," **Sachiko said, although she was not really disappointed that Packer had completed her challenge. She grabbed the microphone and spoke into it. **"Congratulations, Packer-kun, on completing my special obstacle course."**

"**Thank you, Sachiko," **Packer replied.

"**Return to the auditorium and you can receive your prize," **Sachiko said.

"**I'll be there soon," **Packer answered, sheathing his sword and beginning his walk back toward the auditorium.

* * *

As Packer returned to the auditorium, he noticed that Inumaru had returned as well. Sachiko was now sitting on the podium on top of the stage.

"**Congratulations, Inumaru and Packer-kun," **Sachiko said. **"As promised, I'll send the both of you back to your world. Inumaru, since you finished first, I'll give you the first choice. Packer-kun, could you wait for one moment, please?"**

"**Very well," **Packer replied, unsheathing Shiden and jamming the blade into the floor. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the sword and waited patiently. Sachiko nodded and turned her attention back to Inumaru.

"**All right, Inumaru," **she said. **"Who would you like to take with you?"**

"**Gee, I wonder…" **Yoshiki muttered.

"**Of course, I'll be returning with my Sayaka!" **Inumaru proudly boasted. **"Come on, let's go, Sayaka!"**

"**No way!" **Sayaka shouted, causing Inumaru to grunt in confusion. **"I had no intention of going back with you to begin with!"**

"**Eh?!" **Inumaru gasped loudly, not believing what he was hearing.

"**There's no point in going back without Naho-tan, anyway!" **Sayaka continued. Her comment struck a nerve with Packer.

'_Hm, she has a point,' _he thought. _'I could go back with Seiko, but that would leave the rest trapped here, and I have to get the Nine out alive. But… maybe if I use my victory as leverage, I could offer Sachiko something so that I could get EVERYBODY out of here, and not just the ones from my group…'_

"**Wait, what are you saying, Sayaka?" **Inumaru inquired. **"I thought you wanted to go back home! You didn't want to wait until tomorrow, right?"**

Sayaka let out a frustrated sigh.

"**You don't understand," **she said. **"It's none of your business! It's not happening! I can't take it!"**

"**What?!" **Inumaru shouted.

All this time, Sachiko was laughing with glee as she watched the two of them argue.

"**Didn't I tell you, Sachiko-Chan?" **Aiko asked.

"**Yeah! I'm so happy right now!" **Sachiko shouted with glee. **"And on that note, looks like you'll be going home by yourself, Inumaru Onii-Chan. Bye-bye!"**

She snapped her fingers, and a portal opened up beneath Inumaru, pulling him down into it.

"**What?!" **Inumaru shouted as he disappeared into the shimmering portal. **"W-Wait! Then I prefer to stay! **_**AAAAAHHHHHHH!"**_

As the portal disappeared, Sayaka let out a sigh of relief.

"**Thank God," **she said. Naho shook her head in disbelief.

"**Poor Inumaru," **Naho muttered, causing Sayaka to throw a small glare her way.

"**Just leave that guy," **Sayaka said. **"Or are you saying that you would rather I leave here without taking you with me?"**

"**I wouldn't say that," **Naho said with a sigh. _'But I think it would've been better for Sayaka to leave this place, but if I say that to her, I'm sure she'd get mad at me…' _she thought.

_**(Shadow Hearts FTNW's Moon Shine begins playing in the background)**_

"**All right, then," **Sachiko said, turning her attention to Packer. **"Packer-kun, who would you like to take with you?"**

Seiko glanced at Packer, knowing who he would want to take with him, but what came out of his mouth was a bit of a shock to her.

"**Actually, Sachiko, there's a proposal I wish to talk to you about, one I think you'll find very interesting," **Packer said. Sachiko scratched her chin for a moment before nodding her head.

"**Okay, come on up to the stage and we can talk about it," **she replied.

Packer gave her a nod, before turning and pulling Shiden out of the floor. Sheathing his diamond-edged blade, he turned and began walking toward the stage. All the while, everyone present watched him, still not believing what they had seen out of him, and they began wondering what other abilities he possessed.

Stopping at the stage, Packer glanced over at Seiko and gave her a wink before climbing up onto the stage. Seiko could feel herself blushing, but her signature cat-like smile began appearing on her face as well.

Packer walked up to Sachiko, who was still seated on the podium.

"**So, what is it you wanted to talk about, Packer-kun?" **Sachiko asked.

"**Well, it would be easy for me to leave this place with Seiko, since I rightfully earned it," **Packer explained. **"But Sayaka brought up a good point. It's completely pointless for us to leave without taking the others with us as well, and on top of that, I also don't want the other students from all the other schools to suffer as well. So, I'm willing to give up the prize I just earned… for an opportunity to get everyone… and I mean **_**EVERYONE**_… **in this room, out of Heavenly Host alive."**

Everyone let out a shocked and surprised gasp at Packer's words. Even Sachiko was surprised by Packer's answer.

"**So, you are willing to risk your freedom and the freedom of the person you love for a chance to free everyone from this school?" **Sachiko asked.

"**That's exactly what I'm suggesting," **Packer replied. **"So, what do you say?"**

After thinking it over for a few moments, a smile graced Sachiko's lips as she nodded in affirmation.

"**Very well," **Sachiko answered. **"Then, we'll do this. You want to get everyone out alive, including your friends? Then you must complete five different**_** 'SACHIKO CHALLENGES' **_**chosen by me, and they could be literally anything I can think of, and with varying degrees of difficulty. Here's where it gets interesting, though. If you fail any one of the challenges, then everybody will remain in Heavenly Host for all eternity… and that includes the guests who are here temporarily."**

Everyone gasped in horror at that.

"**Everyone?" **Tsukasa asked.

"**Everyone," **Sachiko replied. **"But, if Packer-kun manages to complete all five of my challenges, then everybody will be freed from Heavenly Host… forever."**

For Packer, it was the ultimate all-or-nothing scenario: lose and be trapped for eternity, or win, and be free to return back to the real world.

"**So, what do you say, Packer-kun?" **Sachiko asked. **"Do you accept my proposal?"**

After thinking about it for several tense moments, Packer slowly looked up at her, a determined look on his face.

"**Challenge accepted," **Packer announced, eliciting a gasp from everyone in the room.

"**It's a huge gamble he's taking," **Aiko commented. **"But based on what I've seen, I believe he can pull it off."**

"**Let's hope so, because it's all of our butts on the line here," **Yoshiki retorted.

"**The challenge has been accepted," **Sachiko declared, shaking hands with Packer to seal the contract between them. **"It'll be a while before I can think up what challenges to lay out for you, Packer-kun, so until that time comes, let's get started with our first event of my Hysteric Birthday!"**

"**Very well," **Packer agreed, before letting out a small sigh. **"The gauntlet has been thrown. I just hope I know what I've gotten myself into…"**


	6. Chapter 6: Play Time

DISCLAIMER: CORPSE PARTY AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY TEAM GRISGRIS/GRINDHOUSE. **_MY ORIGINAL CHARACTER, PACKER, IS OWNED BY ME._**

**Author's Note: **Yeesh. This chapter... is the longest chapter I've ever written, at almost 19,000 words. And this one was not easy to write, considering it was, in my opinion, my least favorite chapter in 2U, although it definitely picked up at the end. I still think the other chapters are better, though.

But with that aside, here is Chapter 6 of the Hysteric Birthday Chronicles. Hope you're ready for a long sit down. ;)

* * *

**_CHAPTER 6: PLAY TIME_**

After whisking away those that would not be participating in the first event, Sachiko stared down at the remaining students that would be participating, those being Yoshiki, Morishige, Mayu, Nana, Chihaya, Nari, Azusa and Ran.

"**Well, it looks like everyone is here. Let's get started with our first ever of our Culture Festival!" **Sachiko exclaimed happily.

"**What are you gonna make us do this time?" **Yoshiki inquired. Sachiko let out a small giggle.

"**Well, truth is, after looking at the students that were here, I noticed that there many drama club students," **she explained. **"And so, everyone here is going to do a play with me."**

"**A play, huh?" **Morishige mumbled.

"**Everyone here is in a drama club?" **Mayu asked.

"**Oh, yeah," **Nana replied. **"Myself, Chihaya-Chan and Nari-Chan are in the same drama club."**

"**Yeah, but we're still in our first year, so we really haven't learned all that much aside from the basics," **Nari said.

"**In my case, I haven't even acted once, let alone the basics of acting," **Yoshiki retorted.

"**I'm the same as Knight-Kun," **Azusa replied. Yoshiki glared at the blonde-haired girl.

"**Damn it, stop with that name already," **he complained. Mayu arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"**Knight… kun?" **she said with confusion.

"**Because he's ****_Kishi-_****numa-Kun," **Azusa explained, emphasizing the phrase 'Kishi' in Yoshiki's last name, which means 'knight' in Japanese. **"Lovely, isn't it?"**

"**Quite romantic if you ask me," **Morishige said with a chuckle, before glancing at Azusa's uniform and recognizing it. **"Hey, your uniform… That's the St. Cruz Girls' High School uniform, isn't it? It's rather interesting to know that Kishinuma knows people like this."**

"**Yeah, it is kind of interesting," **Yoshiki replied. **"But you say I know them… but my memory is kind of hazy, although I have a feeling I've met them in this school somewhere at some point. I can't remember where or when, though."**

"**St. Cruz?!" **Nana exclaimed. **"Isn't that the missionary school that's famous for their drama club? Awesome!" **Nari and Chihaya also let out surprised gasps themselves. Azusa giggled in response.

"**Thanks! Everyone is so cute!" **she replied. **"Makes me want to cuddle you all." **This, of course, did not sit well with Ran.

"**Wife!" **Ran complained. **"You're providing too much service hugging people besides me! Not good! Not good!"**

"**Okay, everyone! Quiet down now," **Sachiko commanded, clapping her hands together to get everyone's attention. Yoshikazu growled and slammed the butt of the sledgehammer against the floor several times, causing everyone to gasp in surprise.

"**Hey! Stop going crazy!" **Yoshiki shouted.

"**Hey, you big dumb! You quiet down, too!" **Sachiko commanded. Yoshikazu gasped in surprise, before letting out a sad moan.

"**I guess he's only obedient to Sachiko," **Yoshiki observed.

"**Yeah," **Morishige agreed. **"Not sure why, but maybe he's being blackmailed in some way?"**

Sachiko dropped down from the podium and walked toward the group.

"**It seems there are a few people who aren't drama club members," **she said. **"But, I decided to add Kishinuma in because his reactions to everything are funny to watch." **She beamed up at Yoshiki. **"Let's go, reaction comedian!"**

Yoshiki growled down at the little girl in response, his face twisted in anger.

"**Who are you calling a reaction comedian?!" **he yelled.

"**Azusa and Ran are kind of in the same boat," **Sachiko continued.

"**I'm in the comedian genre with Knight-Kun?" **Azusa said with despair. **"Unthinkable…"**

"**I told you, I'm not a comedian!" **Yoshiki roared. He placed his hand on his forehead, as if he had a headache. **"Geez, I can't stand this. I'm gonna drop out of this play thing."**

"**I agree," **Morishige agreed. **"Sorry, but I'm gonna drop out, too."**

"**Ooohhh… you sure you want to do something like that?" **Sachiko warned.

"**Huh? What do you mean?" **Yoshiki inquired. Sachiko stretched both sides of her lips to the edge of her face in a huge, twisted smile as she pulled out a gas burner from out of nowhere. She let out an evil sounding giggle as she presented it to Yoshiki.

"**What are you thinking, pulling out something like that…?" **Yoshiki began, before suddenly stopping midsentence, as the visual of the gas burner ignited something in his memory. _'Wait, I remember seeing that gas burner somewhere… but where? That's right… it was that time we were attacked… by that mannequin…'_

* * *

**_BACK IN THE SCIENCE LAB IN A PREVIOUS TIME LOOP…_**

The anatomical model let out another howl as it stomped toward Yoshiki. Yoshiki looked around for something to fight back with. His eyes settled upon one of the heavy tables, where he spied upon something that might give him a chance.

"**The gas burner… That's it!" **he shouted. Thinking fast, he ripped the gas line from the burner, grabbed a long-handle lighter and pointed it at the model. **"Eat THIS!" **

The model gasped as the gas erupted, turning the ruptured line into a makeshift flamethrower. The model howled as it was consumed by the flames. It collapsed to the ground as the sheet covering it was burned away.

Yoshiki turned the gas off, and once the fire was out, ran by the burning model and rushed over to where Ayumi was. He tried to lift the table off of Ayumi's leg, but the table was still too heavy.

"**Morishige, give me a hand here!" **he yelled over. Morishige nodded and rushed over to Yoshiki and Ayumi. Together, they were able to lift the table off of Ayumi's leg, allowing her to free herself. Once she was out, they let the table crash back to the ground.

Yoshiki sat down on the ground, completely exhausted. He glanced over at Ayumi, who was inspecting her leg. A bruise was forming near her shin, but she didn't look seriously injured.

"**You okay, Shinozaki?" **Yoshiki asked worriedly. Ayumi glared up at him, causing him to gulp in response. She crawled over to him and began beating on his chest with her fist.

"**You jerk, you dumbass!" **she shouted, continuing to hit him over and over.

"**Shinozaki… glad to see you're still in one piece," **Yoshiki murmured softly.

"**You… stupid… Ugh! I hate you so much!" **Ayumi yelled, tears streaming down her face.

"**I'm sorry, Shinozaki," **Yoshiki apologized. Then, to his surprise, Ayumi wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest, sobbing loudly. Yoshiki's face felt like it was on fire. Whether it was from the beating he just took or from the feeling of Ayumi in his arms, he couldn't tell. Smiling softly, he slowly wrapped his arms around her, bringing her in close for a much-needed hug as she continued to sob into his chest.

"**Sounds like a happy cry to me. Guess that means you're okay," **Yoshiki said.

"**Don't die!" **Ayumi cried. **"Please don't die, Yoshiki-kun!"**

"**Alright, I won't…" **Yoshiki began, before he realized with a start that Ayumi had used his first name. **"Wait… Y-You called me by my first name…"**

Ayumi slowly looked up into his eyes, eyes red with tears, but she had a small smile on her face.

"**Yeah, I guess I did," **she chuckled softly, causing Yoshiki to do the same, albeit with a red face. Morishige cleared his throat, causing the both of them to look up at him.

"**I really do hate to break this up, but I think it's time we headed back. The others are probably waiting for us," **he said. Ayumi and Yoshiki glanced at each other before Ayumi got off of him. Dusting herself off, she offered a hand to Yoshiki, to which he accepted. Together, they walked back over to the rest of the group.

"**Kishinuma, are you alright?" **Yui asked worriedly. Yoshiki nodded.

"**I'm okay. Just a scratch," **he replied. **"Packer can heal it when we rendezvous with him and the others."**

"**Then we should make our way back there quickly," **Naho remarked, opening the door. But as they were about to leave, Mayu looked past Ayumi and Yoshiki and screeched in horror.

"_**LOOK OUT!" **_she screamed. Yoshiki looked over his shoulder and gasped in horror. The anatomical model, which was still on fire and somehow still alive, had made it back to its feet and was rushing toward Ayumi and Yoshiki. Thinking fast, Yoshiki pushed Ayumi out of the way, but was not fast enough for his own sake. The model grabbed Yoshiki, draping itself over his back. Yoshiki's eyes widened as the intense heat from the flames could be felt burning through his school uniform.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" **_he screamed in pain as he could begin to feel the flames burning the skin all over his back. He stumbled toward the middle of the room, trying to shake the model off of him, but the model held tight, intent on bringing Yoshiki down with it. Ayumi watched in horror as Yoshiki was slowly beginning to burn to death.

"_**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" **_Ayumi screamed.

* * *

_**BACK IN THE PRESENT…**_

Yoshiki screamed as the memory of that day came back in full force, and it felt like the flames were real and causing him great pain at that very moment. Morishige and Mayu let out a gasp of surprise.

"**What's wrong, Kishinuma-kun?!" **Mayu shouted. Yoshiki continued to hold his head in pain as the memories continued to flood through his mind.

"**Sachiko, stop!" **Yoshiki shouted. **"Please stop! Okay, I'll do it! I'll do it, just stop! Please!"**

"**Yaaaaay!" **Sachiko screams in delight as she throws away the gas burner and proceeds to show her excitement in a child-like manner. Yoshiki's face was streaming with sweat, and he let out several ragged gasps as the memories finally subsided.

"**I didn't think that the memory of your death… would be something this excruciating," **Yoshiki said to himself, before thinking about what he had just said. **"Wait, hold on. The memory of my death? But I'm alive, aren't I? And if I recall, Naho and then Packer saved me that day, so what was that vision I had just then?"**

Morishige walked up and placed a hand on Yoshiki's shoulder, a worried look on his face.

"**Kishinuma, you alright?" **the cobalt-haired young man asked. Yoshiki looked back and nodded slowly.

"**Y-Yeah, I'm fine," **Yoshiki replied. **"It seems my memories are a bit screwed up, though."**

"**Oh, by the way," **Sachiko interjected. **"The audience will be everybody else who isn't here right now."**

"**But… that means Satoshi, Packer, and Shinozaki are gonna come?" **Yoshiki asked, before letting out a small sigh. **"You've got to be joking…"**

"**I can even go and call the spirits of Heavenly Host Elementary as well, if you like?" **Sachiko continued.

"**No freaking way!" **Yoshiki yelled.

"**Awww, you're boring!" **Sachiko complained with a pout on her face. Nana, Nari, and Chihaya gathered around to talk about the current situation.

"**To think that we would do a play in a place like this," **Nana said.

"**Well, not much we can do about it now, huh?" **Nari replied.

"**I don't exactly want to, but if you guys are going to do it, then so will I," **Chihaya declared. Azusa let out a small giggle.

"**To do something like this with everyone is some kind of destiny," **she said with a smile. **"If we're gonna do it, we might as well enjoy ourselves."**

"**If the wife is gonna do it, then there's no way that I won't be a part of this as well!" **Ran declared happily.

Morishige let out a small sigh as Mayu walked up to him, a slight blush on her face.

"**Shige-nii, it might be fun if you give it a try, you know?" **Mayu said. **"Come on! Let's do it together!"**

As Mayu smiles pleadingly, Morishige lets out another small sigh.

"**Well, I guess it can't be helped," **he resigned. **"If Mayu is saying so that much, then I'll do it as well."**

"**Yay! I get to act with Shige-nii!" **Mayu beamed happily.

"**Mayu-san certainly seems happy," **Nana observed. Nari glanced at Morishige with a knowing smile.

"**Morishige-san, you're rather close to Mayu-san," **she said. **"Are you two perhaps going out?"**

At Nari's inquiry, Morishige's face turned bright red.

"**I-It's not like that!" **he replied hurriedly, before calming down and explaining his position.** "Well, I am kind of worried when Mayu goes off and does something without me, but…"**

"**My, my, he's saying such things…" **Azusa began.

"**But I wonder what he really means?" **Ran finished with a rhyme and giggle. Of course, this only made the blush on Morishige's face deepen in color.

"**W-What do you mean?" **Morishige asked, stumbling over his words.

"**Don't mind us, please," **Azusa responded with a giggle. Yoshiki let out an irritated sigh.

"**Whatever, but can we just get this play crap out of the way before I can't care anymore, please?" **Yoshiki complained. Morishige shook his head in response.

"**No. No matter how out of hand it may be, a play is a play, and I have no intention of half-assing this," **Morishige replied. **"If I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna put 120% effort into it."**

"**What are you getting so serious about, dude?" **Yoshiki inquired.

"**I think it's pretty cool," **Azusa interjected. **"A big difference from some Knight-kun."**

"**Hey," **Yoshiki gruffed, crossing his arms with a scowl on his face. **"That use of 'some' isn't hiding the fact that it's me you're referring to."**

"**Wife, cheating is bad, okay?" **Ran scolded.

"**I think it's only right to say something is cool to something that is cool," **Azusa replied.

"**Touché!" **Ran exclaimed.

"**Yeah…" **Nana mumbled to herself. **"When Morishige-san is so into his acting and everything, it is kind of cool."**

Nari glanced over at Nana with a knowing smile on her face.

"**Ooohhh, Nana," **Nari said. **"Don't tell me you're…"**

"**Nana-Chan?! Really?!" **Chihaya exclaimed. Nana's face turned beet red when she noticed that her friends had been listening in.

"**What?!" **she shouted. **"N-No! I'm just…"**

Meanwhile, Mayu was staring at Morishige with a slight scowl on her face, which Morishige took notice of.

"**What's wrong, Mayu? Something on your mind?" **he asked.

"**N-None of your business!" **Mayu exclaimed, causing Morishige to arch an eyebrow in confusion.

"**Oh? Okay, then," **Morishige replied, his confusion deepening. Mayu closed her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh.

"**So dense…" **she mumbled to herself.

Yoshiki let out a defeated sigh, catching Sachiko's attention.

"**Kishinuma, you look so unmotivated," **Sachiko observed.

"**Well, you forced me to relive painful memories, and now you're forcing me do this play, not to mention we're trying to do a play in a time and place like this," **Yoshiki replied. **"How can I possibly get motivated?"**

"**Kishinuma-kun, Kishinuma-kun," **Mayu whispered, catching Yoshiki's attention. He noticed Mayu waving him over. He walked over to her, hands in his jacket pockets.

"**What is it, Suzumoto?" **he inquired.

"**You know that Shinozaki-san is part of the audience, right?" **Mayu asked. Yoshiki let out a long sigh.

"**Yeah, I know," **he answered. **"That's what I hate the most about this right now."**

"**Well, here's the thing," **Mayu retorted. **"If you show her your cool self up on that stage, she might change the way she sees you!"**

Yoshiki let out a hopeful gasp at Mayu's words.

"**Really?!" **he exclaimed, before a wide smile appeared on his face, his confidence getting a huge burst. **"Alright! If we're gonna do this, we might as well enjoy doing it!"**

Mayu let out a small giggle at Yoshiki's confidence.

"**You're so simple, Kishinuma-kun," **she giggled softly to herself.

"**Well, that was obvious," **Azusa observed.

"**It's love," **Ran said in a sing-song voice. Yoshiki glanced over at them with an annoyed look.

"**W-What the hell!" **he shouted. **"Stop talking all secretively! Jeez, I find these girls difficult to handle sometimes."**

"**Now, now, enough with the chit-chat everyone," **Sachiko commanded. **"Let's begin the play already."**

"**Before that, may I?" **Morishige asked.

"**What?" **Sachiko inquired.

"**To begin a play, a script of some sort is needed," **Morishige explained. **"But, have you got something like that prepared at all?"**

Sachiko let out a small giggle.

"**Don't underestimate me," **she answered, before glancing over at Yoshikazu. **"Oy, you big dumb! Go get the scripts!"**

Yoshikazu moaned in affirmation. Following Sachiko's orders, he clumsily turns around and leaves the auditorium.

"**Where did that monster go to…?" **Yoshiki asked.

"**To get the scripts, of course!" **Sachiko beamed.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Infirmary, the rest of the students were waiting to be called back to the auditorium for the play. Yoshie was helping everyone feel at home, for the most part, as each of the students had broken off into the schools they came from and were having lively conversations.

Seiko let out a sigh as she gazed over at the sleeping form of Naomi. After talking with Seiko for a bit, Naomi decided to take a small nap while they were waiting, which left Seiko with nothing to do. Sighing with boredom, she glanced over at Packer, who was leaning against the wall next to the door. He had detransformed and was back in his Kisaragi uniform once again, knowing he wouldn't need his powers again until Sachiko gave him his first challenge, which could come at any time.

A small grin appeared on Seiko's face, as she stood up from her spot on one of the beds and walked over to where Packer was.

"**Hey, Packer-kun. Whatcha doing?" **she asked innocently. Packer glanced up at her, giving her a small smile.

"**Nothing. Just thinking," **Packer answered with a sigh. **"I am feeling kind of bored, though."**

"**Well…" **Seiko began, interlacing her fingers with Packer's, a seductive look in her eyes. **"What do you say we get out of this Infirmary and have some… 'alone' time to ourselves?"**

Packer's cheeks flared red at Seiko's request, but his smile widened as well.

"**Sounds good to me," **Packer replied, as he led Seiko out of the Infirmary.

Walking down the hallway a bit, they came across what appeared to be a broom closet. Not wasting any time, Seiko opened the door and dragged Packer in, quickly closing the door behind them. The small room was bathed in darkness, though.

"**Damn, it's so dark, I can't see a thing," **Seiko surmised.

"**Hang on," **Packer said. A glass dagger appeared in his hand, and he stuck it to the wall above them. Instantly, it began emitting a bright light, lighting up the small room. There were a few rotting brooms in the room, but not much else.

"**There, that should light things up," **Packer said.

"**Yep," **Seiko agreed with a small giggle.

"**So… yeah, I've never really done this sort of thing before, so…" **Packer began, but as he spoke, he felt Seiko move closer and put her arms around his neck.

His heart was thumping wildly now, and he was certain his cheeks were a deep crimson.

**"Seiko…"** he started to say.

**"Yes?"** Seiko replied as she looked up and stared into his eyes with longing.

_**(Hysteric Birthday's Oozing with Sex Appeal begins playing in the background)**_

As if he were under a spell cast by her lovely amber eyes, Packer bent his head down and placed his lips on hers. Gently, he embraced her and felt her pressing herself against him. Feeling her soft curves against his hard form, he groaned and deepened the kiss. He wanted to go slow, but she tasted so sweet that he kissed her hungrily as if she were a rich dessert. A stirring began within him as her tongue swirled around his.

Packer felt Seiko link her leg around his and move against him, pushing him against the wall. Groaning softly, she kissed him more as he moved his hands down her back until he reached the hem of her short, flowing skirt. Sliding his hands underneath the garment, he caressed her buttocks through her silky panties, causing her to moan in his mouth. Then he gave her cheeks a firm, but gentle squeeze, causing her to squeal a bit and break the kiss. She gazed up at him with a seductive, cat-like grin on her face.

"**Well, I didn't know you were so frisky, Packer-kun," **Seiko purred. **"I also didn't know that you liked grabbing my butt so much."**

"**Yeah, well…" **Packer began, his breathing heavy and face red with embarrassment at her inquiry. Seiko tilted her head sideways as he stumbled over his words.

"**Well, what?" **Seiko asked.

"**Well… your butt does look nice, and we might not get this chance again, so I figured, why the hell not?" **Packer admitted. He then looked up at her with a worried expression. **"Does it bother you?"**

"**Bother me?" **Seiko repeated, confused. **"Honestly, I think it's kind of… sexy that you feel that way. And I like the way your hands feel. So don't worry, Packer-kun."**

"**O-Okay," **Packer replied nervously, causing Seiko to giggle in response. She knew he was only being cautious with her, and didn't want to put her in an uncomfortable situation. But if anything, his repeated administrations only made the fire within her burn even hotter. She pushed him against the wall and brought her face up to his.

"**Now, where were we?" **Seiko asked seductively. **"Oh, that's right. Right about… here."**

She pressed her lips hard against Packer's, who returned the kiss in full force. But before they could get any further, they heard the door to the broom closet slowly creak open. Breaking the kiss, they turned their heads toward the door, and Seiko let out a screech upon what was gazing at them. Standing in the doorway, holding a stack of papers, was Yoshikazu, who had a confused look on his face as he observed Seiko holding onto Packer so suggestively. Apparently, he had heard them out in the hallway and decided to investigate.

Packer let out a slightly annoyed sigh as he gave a sideways glance to the tall brute.

"**Yoshikazu, do you mind? We're having a moment here," **Packer said nonchalantly. Yoshikazu let out an apologetic moan as he moved back from the doorway.

"**SSSSSSSSoooooorrrryyyyy…." **Yoshikazu moaned slowly as he closed the door to the broom closet. Packer let out a small sigh as he returned his gaze to his beautiful girlfriend, who set her gaze back on him as well.

"**Well, that was certainly unexpected," **Seiko laughed.

"**Indeed," **Packer agreed. **"Shall we… continue?"**

"**Absolutely," **Seiko replied, locking her lips onto Packer's once again.

Meanwhile, back in the Infirmary, Naomi sat up and yawned as she woke up from her nap. She glanced around and noticed that Seiko was nowhere to be found.

"**Hey, Satoshi. Where's Seiko?" **she asked, glancing over at Satoshi, who shrugged.

"**I don't know," **he replied. **"I don't see Packer here, either. I wonder where they disappeared to?"**

A knowing look appeared on Naomi's face as she put two and two together.

"**Oh, I'd say they're enjoying the time they're having to themselves," **Naomi giggled.

* * *

After a few minutes, Yoshikazu returned to the auditorium with the stack of papers in his hands. He lets out a confident moan as he hands the papers off to Sachiko.

"**Huh? Is this… a pile of papers?" **Yoshiki asked. Sachiko sorted through them and began handing them out to Yoshiki and the others.

"**I've prepared a few different scripts," **Sachiko declared. **"It was hard to decide which was going to be fit for this play."**

"**Scripts that Sachiko-san prepared, huh?" **Mayu admired.

"**I've got a bad feeling about these," **Morishige moaned.

"**Alright, let's choose one and see what it's like," **Sachiko said.

After looking through the available options, Yoshiki pointed one out.

"**Well, let's begin with this," **he said, holding up the script.

"_**Romeo and Juliet**_**, huh? It's the standard, I guess," **Morishige replied.

"**Yeah," **Sachiko agreed. **"I wanted to do a romantic story before, so I recommend this one, too." **Mayu giggled in response.

"**Wow, wanting to do a romance story… Sachiko-san is a girl after all, huh?" **Mayu observed.

"**Come on. Don't girl talk with an evil spirit," **Yoshiki warned, crossing his arms.

"**Hey! No more 'evil' or 'spirit' talk!" **Mayu scolded.

"**Well, let's give it a read," **Morishige said.

Morishige began to read the script.

* * *

_The characters you see here are all fictitious. Thank you for your understanding._

_The Italian town of Verona… there, two households: Montegue and Capulet, were in a constant feud day in and day out._

_**Romeo (Morishige): I am Romeo of the Montegue family. Today, I am being dragged around by my friends Benvoleo and Mercutio, and have snuck into the Capulet household's party. However, if they find out that I am Romeo of the Montague family, I'll be in big trouble… My, my, what is that?!**_

_Romeo walks up to a beautiful young lady._

_**Romeo: What beauty! Who is this majestic female?! One look and I was all yours. May I perhaps ask for your name?**_

_**Juliet (Sachiko): I am Juliet of the Capulet family.**_

* * *

"**Oy, Morishige," **Yoshiki interrupted. **"Isn't this relationship kind of bad? I mean, it's with an elementary schooler, not to mention an evil spirit."**

"**In acting, there are no age or gender barriers," **Morishige replied. **"Don't bring such stupidity into this. As of now, we are two lovers intertwined in a complicated situation; Romeo and Juliet. Don't interfere."**

"**You say that, but…" **Yoshiki began, before shaking his head in disgust. **"You know what? Whatever. Have it your way."**

Clearing his throat, Morishige returned his attention to the script.

* * *

_**Romeo: Oh, beautiful Juliet… That dark black hair and that crimson dress! It's like a crimson rose that has been illuminated by the moon! May I ask your hand, in a dance?**_

_**Juliet: With pleasure.**_

"**Hm, the story seems pretty simple," **Yoshiki observed. **"Sachiko seems to be taking a liking to it, too, so we might as well stick with this."**

"**Yeah," **Morishige agreed. **"I was a little worried knowing that Sachiko prepared this, but let's go all the way through it… just to be sure."**

Adjusting his glasses, Morishige continued to read the script.

_And thus, the story continued._

_Wanting to be with her love forever, Juliet drinks a drug that temporarily stops her hear. However, Romeo believed that Juliet had really taken her own life._

_**Romeo: Oh, Juliet! Why has this happened?! Juliet! I will drink this poison, and follow your ways!**_

"**That's right," **Nana said. **"Here, Romeo goes after Juliet and commits suicide."**

"**After that," **Nari continued. **"Juliet wakes up to find her Romeo dead, and with such shock and sadness, she also takes her own life."**

"**How sorrowful…" **Chihaya replies sadly.

_**Romeo: Juliet… without you, I have no reason to continue my life. I will die, too…**_

_Romeo stabs a knife into his heart, and dies within moments…_

"**What?! Wasn't it poison?" **Nana exclaimed.

_A few hours later, Juliet wakes up to find that lying next to her was the cold, lifeless body of her love, Romeo._

_**Juliet: (evil laugh) All according to plan! I have now ceased the Montague bloodline! This town is now the Capulet's property! (evil laugh)**_

* * *

"**What?!" **Morishige shouted. **"This isn't Romeo and Juliet at all!"**

"**The romantic tragedy story is totally ruined," **Ran said.

"**That's what's good!" **Sachiko beamed. **"We shouldn't be kept back by the old ideas! This is the new Romeo and Juliet!"**

"**Uh… yeah," **Yoshiki replied, face palming in response. **"Let's do another script." **Sachiko moaned with disappointment.

"**I thought it was fun…" **she groaned.

Yoshiki flipped through the remaining scripts, stopping when he reached one that resembled something in the horror genre.

"**This is… horror, isn't it?" **Yoshiki asked. Morishige glanced up, a worried expression on his features.

"**Let's not. I've only got a bad feeling about it," **he replied. Sachiko stared at him with a blank expression.

"**Whaaaat?" **she said. **"I recommend this one too, though. You're not even gonna read it?" **Her expression turned angry. **"I could just kill you all and be done with it…"**

"**Alright, alright, we'll read it! Damn…" **Yoshiki exclaimed as he read the script. **"The title is 'The Toilet Spirit, Sachiko'… Oh, boy…" **He continued to read past the title. **"One day, there was a rumor going around the female students that a ghost appears in the toilets." **Then, the light bulb went off in Yoshiki's head. **"Oh, it's just a simple 'Toilet Ghost Hanako-san remake, huh?" **He begins reading further into the script.

* * *

_**Nana: And, on the third floor girls' bathroom, if you knock on the third toilet standing closest to the door three times, you can hear a knock in response. And if you open the door, a girl in a red dress drags you down the toilet! Today, we're gonna put that horror story to the test.**_

_**Chihaya: Nana-Chan, what if we really do get dragged into the toilet? Let's stop this, it's too dangerous!**_

_**Nari: Chihaya, no need to get so scared. It's probably just some stupid urban myth, anyway.**_

_**Nana: Then let's give it a go. Starting from the closest stall.**_

_Nana begins knocking on the door. After three knocks, the door suddenly opens and…_

_**Shimoda, the Gentleman Ghost: Don't open iiiiiiittttttt!**_

* * *

"**Who the fuck is that?!" **Yoshiki shouted. Sachiko snickers in response.

"**It's the special guest; Shimoda, the Mysterious Gentlemen Ghost," **Sachiko explained.

"**So where did the 'Sachiko-san' in the title go to?" **Morishige inquired.

"**Don't worry. This is where the real deal begins," **Sachiko answered.

* * *

_**Shimoda: What? 'The Toilet Spirit Sachiko'? I see now. If you want to see Sachiko-san, then do this.**_

_Shimoda presents to them a paper doll._

_**Nana: This is… a paper doll?**_

_**Shimoda: Indeed. With this 'Sachiko Doll', everybody grabs the doll and pulls at the same time while chanting 'Sachiko, we beg of you' a number of times. Then, you go to a place called Heavenly Host Elementary and…**_

* * *

"**Dammit, I knew we were gonna end up here!" **Yoshiki shouted.

"**After that, the horrors of Heavenly Host Elementary begin and…" **Sachiko began, but was cut off by Yoshiki.

"**Stop it right there!" **he roared. **"This is nothing more than an attempt at digging out our past traumas!"**

"**Geez, you're so rock-headed, Kishinuma," **Sachiko complained.

"**You're right, and I'm Goddamn proud of it!" **Yoshiki answered. **"No way am I going through that shit again! Just choose a different script! Actually, **_**PLEASE**_** choose a different script!"**

Letting out a small sigh, Sachiko flipped through the remaining scripts and chose one that looked appealing to her.

"**What about this one?" **Sachiko asked, handing the script to Yoshiki, who arched an eyebrow.

"**A superhero ranger one? There's even something like this?" **Yoshiki asked. Azusa chuckled.

"**Choosing something like that for a script," **she surmised. **"Knight-kun is rather a child at heart, it seems."**

"**Hey, it's nothing like that!" **Yoshiki shouted defensively. **"Besides, Sachiko chose it, not me!"**

"**In any case, let's read over it," **Mayu replied. Yoshiki sighed and began pouring over the contents of the script.

* * *

_The characters you see here are all fictitious. Thank you for your understanding._

_The end of the century… right now, Japan is being taken over by a secret organization plotting to take over the world. Trapped in despair, the good people of Japan called on the legendary 'Fighters of Heavenly Host Elementary'!_

_**Sachiko: Heavenly Host Elementary Red, Shinozaki Sachiko, ready for action!**_

_**Yoshikazu: ROOOOOARR! (Heavenly Host Elementary Red, Yanagihori Yoshikazu!)**_

_**Yuki: Heavenly Host Elementary Red, Kanno Yuki!**_

_**Tokiko: *mumbles* (Heavenly Host Elementary Red, Tsuji Tokiko!)**_

_**Ryou: Heavenly Host Elementary Red, Yoshizawa Ryou!**_

_**Sachiko: The five of us together are… Heavenly Host's greatest fighters… the Dead Rangers!**_

* * *

Everyone glanced at each other with dumbfounded looks on their faces.

"**That's freaking creepy!" **Yoshiki exclaimed. **"And you call yourselves fighters against evil, but you're all dead ghosts!"**

"**I agree," **Morishige interjected. **"To begin with, why is everyone red? Aren't those kinds of rangers supposed to be different colors?"**

"**Well, everyone is covered on blood, so it looks like they're all red," **Sachiko replied matter-of-factly.

"**The kids will bawl their eyes out!" **Yoshiki shouted, before stopping and taking a deep breath. **"Well, whatever. I can't even imagine you guys saving the day anyway. Let's see if there's a different script."**

Yoshiki shuffled through the scripts until he found one that caught his eye.

"**How's this one?" **he asked, holding it up and looking at the title. **"It's called 'Princess Kaguya'."**

"**Well, the source is from a fairy tale, after all," **Morishige explained. **"I'm sure nothing will go wrong, but… well, it is something that Sachiko prepared, so it's best to expect anything."**

"**Indeed," **Yoshiki agreed. **"Anyways, let's go over it."**

They began pouring over the contents of the script.

* * *

_The characters you see here are all fictitious. Thank you for your understanding._

_Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman. The old man spent his days selling the bamboo that he had gathered from the mountains, barely living off the dirty profit he made._

"**I somehow sense that this explanation is giving us a bad impression on the character," **Yoshiki pointed out. Morishige nods in affirmation.

_One day, as the old man was metaphorically whipping his old body up the ruthless mountain, he spotted a shiny golden bamboo blade._

_**Old Man (Morishige): Oh, my… What is this?! It's a golden bamboo blade! I guess I'll sell this to the richest man in the village, and then I'll… (manic laugh)**_

"**Hey, this old man is starting to look like a bad person!" **Yoshiki shouted.

"**It's that popular 'badass' personality thing, probably," **Ran replied.

"**Ran, I think that's a little off…" **Azusa retorted.

_**Old Man: Then, let's go and exchange this thing for quick cash!**_

_However, as the old man cut open the bamboo blade, out popped a cute little girl the size of a palm._

_**Princess Kaguya (Sachiko): Nice to meet you. I'm Princess Kaguya.**_

_**Old Man: The bamboo born Sachi… I mean, Kaguya princess, huh? I guess strange things so happen! I'll take her home and show my wife.**_

_As the old man took her home, the old woman expressed her surprise._

_**Old Woman (Mayu): My, oh my… What a cute little girl. She's almost like a doll. Let's raise her in this household.**_

_**Princess Kaguya: Okay, you can do that. I'll let you raise me.**_

_**Old Man: This girl is rather condescending…**_

_Sachiko… I mean, Princess Kaguya grew at immense speed in the old folks' household, and in just under three months, she had become a beautifully grown lady. Soon, the five princes of the town began to realize Princess Kaguya's beauty and began to crowd around her like a bunch of hyenas._

_**Prince 1 (Yoshiki): Princess Kaguya, please marry me.**_

_**Prince 2 (Nana): Princess Kaguya, please marry me.**_

_**Prince 3 (Nari): Princess Kaguya, please marry me.**_

_**Prince 4 (Chihaya): Princess Kaguya, please marry me.**_

_**Prince 5 (Azusa): Princess Kaguya, please marry me.**_

"**Wife! How dare you lay your hands on another woman when you have me!" **Ran roared.

"**Ran, this is within the play, remember?" **Azusa reminded her.

"**Oh… right," **Ran said with an embarrassed chuckle. **"Phew… thank God…"**

_Princess Kaguya asked the five princes, who were constantly asking for her hand in marriage, to bring her a 'certain object'. That certain object was…_

_**Princess Kaguya: You bring me a 'plank of wood', you bring me a 'candle', you bring me a 'cultural doll', you bring me a 'doll of a cat', and you bring me a 'rusted handle'. They're all in Heavenly Host Elementary, so good luck!**_

* * *

"**A plank of wood and a cultural doll," **Yoshiki mumbled, before glaring at Sachiko. **"Wait, you're telling us to go look for those?!"**

"**Everyone is gonna die!" **Morishige exclaimed.

"**Well, if you want to win over my love, you have to at least do that," **Sachiko said.

"**Damn it, I can't disagree with you on that…" **Yoshiki mumbled.

"**And afterwards, the princes fly to Heavenly Host Elementary to win over the princess' love!" **Sachiko continued. **"There, they commence the bloody…"**

"**Stop! I don't want to hear it!" **Yoshiki yelled. Sachiko pouted at him.

"**Geez! All you and Morishige do is complain," **she moaned.

"**Yeah, well, it's not our fault these scripts suck ass," **Yoshiki retorted.

"**Let's choose a different script," **Morishige suggested. But after sorting through the rest of the scripts, Yoshiki growled and threw them across the room, scattering the papers everywhere.

"**Why did you do that, Kishinuma-kun?" **Mayu asked.

"**Because not a single Goddamn one of those scripts was any good," **Yoshiki replied.

"**Can't argue that point," **Morishige agreed. **"By the way, who even wrote these scripts, anyway?" **Sachiko let out a small giggle.

"**You want to know?" **she inquired, before glancing over at Yoshikazu. **"Hey, you big dumb, bring forth the script writer."**

Moaning and nodding, Yoshikazu left the auditorium. Soon, he returns with a familiar face… Kizami, who walked up to the group.

"**This is the script writer, Kizami," **Sachiko explained. Yoshiki crossed his arms and gazed at Kizami.

"**Kizami, huh?" **he mumbled. **"Damn, he's big…"**

"**I'm Kizami Yuuya, 2****nd**** year at Byakudan Academy," **Kizami introduced himself.

"**Oh, um… I'm Kishinuma Yoshiki, 2****nd**** year at Kisaragi Academy," **Yoshiki did likewise, before stopping himself. **"I mean, wait! None of those scripts you wrote are anything but sane! They're all dark and twisted. Why don't you try writing something normal?"** Kizami laughs a bit evilly.

"**A life that ends in a glimmering shine!" **Kizami replied. **"Yes! That's what I want to see!"**

"**I don't care!" **Yoshiki shouted. **"Make a proper story!"**

"**I'm afraid I have to agree with Kishinuma here," **Sachiko explained. **"Today is my birthday, so I want to have a story that is fun! So, I'm sorry to say this, Kizami, but I am kicking you out!"**

Sachiko nods at Yoshikazu, who roars and grabs Kizami's collar from behind and slowly drags him out of the auditorium.

"**Damn it! Let go of me, you monster!" **Kizami shouted as he was dragged out the door.

"**Geez, that guy was a nutcase…" **Yoshiki muttered.

"**Alright, let's try this again," **Sachiko said.

"**Probably better to rewrite a new script," **Morishige interjected. **"Mayu, can you do that?"**

"**Certainly," **Mayu replied.

"**Then I'll leave it to you," **Morishige said. **"All that's left is the story…"**

As the group ponders what the story should be about, Yoshiki grabbed Mayu and Morishige's arm and dragged them away from Sachiko to where they could chat in private.

"**Morishige, Sachiko keeps looking at us," **Yoshiki whispered. **"Maybe she wants us to hear her story idea or something."**

"**Yeah, maybe," **Morishige agreed. They all looked back to see Sachiko smiling at them.

"**There's no denying it, dude! Her eyes say everything!" **Yoshiki hissed.

"**But this is Sachiko we're talking about," **Morishige argued. **"She'll probably come up with some kind of messed up, twisted story for sure."**

"**But she did say she wants to do 'something fun', so it might be alright," **Yoshiki retorted. They all looked back at Sachiko again, her smile replaced by a look of confusion.

"**I have a good idea, too…" **she mumbled.

"**She's finally started to say it out loud!" **Yoshiki exclaimed. **"That definitely means we have to listen, right?!"**

"**B-But…" **Morishige stuttered, hesitant about listening to Sachiko's idea. Just then, Yoshiki felt someone pull on his jacket sleeve. He looked down and saw Sachiko looking up at him with a pleading look in her eyes.

"**Why isn't anyone listening to me?" **she asked sadly. **"I have **_**SUCH **_**a good idea too, you know."**

"**Really?" **Yoshiki inquired. **"Well, what kind of idea do you have, Sachiko?"**

"**Umm… I want to do a detective story!" **Sachiko exclaimed. Yoshiki, Mayu and Morishige glanced at each other with surprised expressions.

"**Well, that certainly came out of left field," **Yoshiki noted.

"**A detective story?" **Morishige repeated.

"**Yep!" **Sachiko confirmed. **"A student detective story, and I'm gonna be the detective that brings evil to justice. I capture the evildoer with my awesome detective work! Sounds fun, right?"**

"**Well, I guess it sounds better that the other stuff," **Yoshiki said. **"But Sachiko is better off as a criminal more than a…"**

"**Kishinuma-kun, stop!" **Mayu scolded. **"Say anymore and it won't end well!" **She knelt down in front of Sachiko. **"All right, Sachiko-san. A detective story, right?"**

"**Yep," **Sachiko replied. **"Mayu understands things well." **Mayu giggles and bows in response.

"**Thank you," **she said, before walking over to Yoshiki, a scowl on her face. **"Don't stimulate her like that, Kishinuma-kun! What are we gonna do if we all end up dead?!"**

Yoshiki crossed his arms and scoffed in response.

"**Well, excuse the fuck out of me for trying to give an honest opinion," **he growled. Ignoring his response, Mayu turned and waved the rest of the group over to her for a meeting.

"**Okay, everyone," **Mayu began. **"If you've got a good idea on a story, then let me know, okay? If we all work together, then I'm sure we'll finish the script in no time at all."**

"**Well, if it's a detective story, then I think a trick that surprises the audience is necessary," **Nana suggested.

"**Oh! I remember a great trick that I read in a detective novel once," **Chihaya spoke up.

"**What is it? Tell me!" **Mayu exclaimed. Azusa and Ran walked over to the group.

"**I guess we'll help you brainstorm ideas, too," **Azusa said.

"**I think we definitely need some Yuri elements in this!" **Ran exclaimed.

"**No, I believe we need to put some boys love in there, wouldn't you say?" **Nari asked.

"**I want a classic cool one!" **Sachiko yelled happily.

The girls gathered around Mayu and began to come up with ideas for the script. Yoshiki and Morishige stepped back and watched from a distance, trying not to interfere. Yoshikazu was silently standing next to them.

"**Well, they seem to be having fun," **Yoshiki observed.

"**That's good," **Morishige replied. **"We can't have any hiccups if we want the story creation to go smoothly."**

Yoshikazu slowly nodded in response. Yoshiki stared up at the brute, a curious expression on his face.

"**You, uh, don't really do much, unless you're ordered to, huh?" **he asked.

"**Uh-uh," **Yoshikazu grunted, shaking his head slowly.

"**You always wait like this unless you're ordered by Sachiko?" **Yoshiki continued.

"**Uh-huh," **Yoshikazu replied, nodding his head.

"**Isn't it boring?" **Yoshiki inquired.

"…**Some… times…" **Yoshikazu said slowly, trying to focus to get the words out. Yoshiki stayed silent for a moment, digesting the giant's answer.

"**I guess you have a hard time too, huh?" **he questioned.

"**Hmmmm…" **Yoshikazu groaned softly, almost as if he was pondering Yoshiki's question.

After several minutes, Mayu let out a small sigh.

"**Alright, the basics of the story is done," **she declared. **"But the details may take a while, so we might not be finished by today…"**

"**But the party is only for today, so it HAS to be done TODAY!" **Sachiko emphasized.

"**Oh, right. I forgot…" **Mayu mumbled, face palming. Morishige scratched his chin.

"**Well, we could just create the basic story and then make up the rest as it goes along," **the cobalt-haired boy suggested.

"**Hold on, Morishige!" **Yoshiki exclaimed. **"I can't even act, much less adlib, you know?"**

"**You're such a wimp, Knight-kun," **Azusa giggled.

"**You're so hopeless, Knight-kun," **Ran laughed.

"**Shut up!" **Yoshiki roared. **"I told you from the beginning that I can't act! Don't decide everything to your accord!"**

"**Calm down, Kishinuma," **Morishige replied. **"We'll give you an easy role, so there's no complaints, alright?"**

"**Alright, let's write this thing up and fast!" **Mayu declared, grabbing a pad of yellow paper and a pencil.

"**We're counting on you, Mayu," **Morishige said.

Sitting down on the ground, Mayu begins writing on the pad as fast as she possibly could.

* * *

_**(Hysteric Birthday's Oozing with Sex Appeal begins playing in the background)**_

Meanwhile, Seiko and Packer continued to kiss inside the broom closet. Seiko began running her fingers through his emerald green hair, while Packer's hands found their way to her sides. She let out a small giggle in response, causing Packer to break the kiss.

"**What?" **he inquired. She giggled up at him.

"**Sorry," **Seiko apologized. **"I'm just really ticklish, you know? Must be the sensitive skin I have."**

"**I didn't know that," **Packer replied, as a sinister smile began to form on his face. **"But now I do."**

Seiko looked up at him in confusion, and gasped as she saw the playful look in his eyes and the wide smile on his face.

"**Oh, no! No, no no no no no," **she speedily said. **"Packer-kun, don't you dare!"**

"**Oh, I'm gonna dare," **he replied with a chuckle. **"Like right about… **_**NOW!"**_

With a laugh, Packer dug his fingers into her ribs and began tickling her mercilessly. Seiko let out a loud laugh as her ribs were tortured by her boyfriend.

"_**AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHA!" **_she laughed loudly as Packer tickled her. **"Please stop! HAHAHAHA! Uncle, uncle! I give! HAHAHA! No more! I surrender!"**

Packer chuckled as he finally ceased his tickling of her, and Seiko took a moment to catch her breath before looking up at him, a lustful look on her face.

"**Oh, so you like it rough, don't ya?" **Seiko said. **"I'll remember that next time, Packer-kun."**

"**Well, consider it payback for all the sexual jokes you've embarrassed me with over the last two months," **Packer laughed.

"**Touché," **Seiko giggled, before leaning up and locking lips with Packer once again. After several seconds, they broke apart as they heard the door to the broom closet open once again. This time, when they glanced at the doorway, they saw their friends Satoshi and Naomi staring back at them with knowing smiles on their face.

"**Oh, hey there, Naomi, Mochida-kun," **Seiko greeted them.

"**So this is where you've been all this time, huh?" **Naomi giggled.

"**How did you know where we were?" **Packer asked.

"**Well, while we were looking for you, we sort of heard Shinohara laughing from all the way across the hall," **Satoshi replied. Seiko and Packer glanced at each other before letting out a small laugh.

"**Anyways, we wanted to find you because Sachiko has summoned us back to the auditorium," **Naomi explained.

"**What for?" **Seiko asked.

"**Apparently, they are going to be performing some kind of play for us," **Satoshi replied. Packer arched an eyebrow.

"**A play, huh?" **he said. **"Sounds interesting. Let's go and see what it's about."**

Grabbing Seiko's hand, he led her out of the closet and followed Satoshi and Naomi down the hall toward the auditorium.

* * *

Roughly one hour after she had started, Mayu finally finished the script for the story.

"**Finished!" **Mayu declared proudly.

"**Good work, Mayu," **Morishige acknowledged. **"Sorry for taking on all of that for us."**

"**It's okay," **Mayu replied. **"I like writing scripts anyway, and if I get to see Shige-nii's acting again through this, then I'll happily do it."**

"**Is that so?" **Morishige wondered. **"Well then, I guess I have to live up to the hype."**

Mayu giggled in response.

Yoshiki watched the pair from a short distance away, his arms crossed and a dull expression on his face. Azusa tilted her head at him.

"**Are you jealous, Knight-kun?" **the blonde girl inquired.

"**It's nothing like that," **Yoshiki sternly replied.

"**The hate for love couples was in your eyes," **Ran explained. **"Because your beloved Ayumi-Chan doesn't notice you in any way."**

Yoshiki felt a stab in his heart at the truth of the words, but that didn't stop him from being annoyed at the purple-haired girl.

"**Oh, shut up!" **he yelled indignantly. **"Stop getting on my grill every time, already!"**

"**Although they are all lovey-dovey, they don't stand a chance against us in love power!" **Ran boldly declared.

"**Eh?" **Yoshiki mumbled in confusion.

"**After all, myself and my wife are one in spirit!" **Ran continued. **"There is nobody who can stand up to our love for each other!"**

"**Oh, is that so? When did we become one in spirit, exactly?" **Azusa inquired. Ran let out a small groan, but quickly replaced it with a smile.

"**Ah, that kind of cool side of my wife… I love it!" **Ran exclaimed.

Morishige cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"**Alright," **he announced. **"Now that we've decided on the script, next we need to decide the roles. They include Detective, Assistant, Victim, Boy A, Discoverer, Vital Person and Narration. The detective will be…"**

Morishige looks over at Sachiko, who stares at him intently. He sighs and pushes his glasses up his nose.

"**The Detective will be… Sachiko," **he said. Sachiko nodded happily at the decision.

"**Well, she looks happy," **Yoshiki observed before turning back to the group. **"So what's gonna happen with the other roles?"**

"**Well, usually, we'd decide through holding some auditions, but…" **Morishige began. Sachiko glances up at Morishige and tilts her head in question.

"**Au… di… tion…?" **she said slowly, not sure what the word meant. **"What is that?"**

"**Well, an audition is a process where you read over the script and act out the role you want to do," **Morishige explained. **"Afterwards, a set of judges then decide whether you're fit for the role or not."**

"**What role are you gonna play, Shige-nii?" **Mayu asked.

"**I'm… gonna pass," **Morishige replied. A frown instantly appeared on Mayu's face.

"**Why?!" **she complained.

"**I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be given a crappy role, anyway," **Morishige explained. **"If that's the case, then I'd rather do all the back work instead."**

"**What are you saying, Morishige-san?!" **Nana exclaimed. Morishige gasped as he was surrounded by Nana, Chihaya and Nari.

"**That's right, Morishige-san," **Nari continued. **"You can't give up before we've even begun."**

"**I… I believe so, too," **Chihaya agreed.

"**If Morishige-san isn't going to do it, then who will?" **Nana asked.

"**Yeah, Shige-nii," **Mayu piped in. **"You were gonna put 120% of effort into this, weren't you? You'll be alright, Shige-nii. You just have to believe in yourself, okay?"**

Morishige felt his heart swell at Mayu's encouragement.

"**Mayu… you guys…" **he murmured.

"**Indeed," **Azusa interjected. **"I do believe you'll do a better job than Knight-kun over here with no acting experience whatsoever."**

"**I agree," **Ran replied. **"You should get Knight-kun to do all the crappy roles instead!"**

Yoshiki glared at the two girls.

"**You two are ruthless," **he growled.

After thinking for a moment, Morishige made up his mind.

"**Alright," **he declared. **"I'll do it!"**

"**Shige-nii!" **Mayu gasped happily.

"**Thank you! Thank you, everyone!" **Morishige said. Ran chuckled.

"**I just don't want Sakutaro-kun to drop out," **she said.

"**Well, things are getting rather interesting," **Azusa replied.

Morishige took a quick glance at the script.

"**With this script, everybody except the detective is pretty standard," **he explained.

"**Yeah. I don't think it matters who does which role," **Yoshiki replied. **"Do you want to just decide randomly?"**

"**Sounds like a good idea," **Morishige agreed.

"**Heeeeey!" **Sachiko called out.

"**What now?" **Yoshiki inquired.

"**I want to try doing some auditions," **Sachiko said. Yoshiki looked down at her with a flat look on his face.

"**But we've already decided that you would be the detective," **Yoshiki pointed out.

"**It is 'Sacchan, the Supernatural Detective', so I don't think anybody but Sachiko-san can play that role," **Mayu piped in.

"**But I still want to try this audition thing," **Sachiko retorted. Yoshiki let out a frustrated sigh.

"**We just HAD to bring up auditions, didn't we?" **he said sarcastically.

"**What should we do, Shige-nii?" **Mayu asked.

"**If Sachiko wants to do it, then we can't possibly say no to her," **Morishige replied.

"**But it makes no damn sense to hold an audition when we know the results already," **Yoshiki interjected.

"**We'll fix the race," **Morishige suggested. **"We'll just make it look like an audition, then we'll get started with the play." **He turned and waved the rest of the girls over. **"Hey, can I get everyone over here, please?"**

Azusa, Ran, Nana, Chihaya, and Nari all walked over to Morishige.

"**Make sure that what I'm about to tell you doesn't get noticed by Sachiko and Yoshikazu," **Morishige explained. **"Sachiko just said that she wants to do an audition."**

"**What?!" **Nana exclaimed **"But didn't she just say herself that she wanted to play the detective?"**

"**What are you going to do?" **Chihaya asked.

"**What we'll do is this," **Morishige continued. **"We're going to hold what 'looks' like an audition so Sachiko can stay happy. If we piss Sachiko of, then who knows what will happen to us. Just make sure that she doesn't know we're lying to her."**

"**Okay," **Nari replied.

"**So, what do you want us to do?" **Azusa asked.

While everyone was discussing what their plan was, Sachiko watched them from afar, a confused look on her face.

"**Hey, what's everyone talking about over there?" **she called out.

"**D-Don't worry about it!" **Yoshiki replied nervously. **"It's nothing important." **This only made Sachiko's confusion deepen.

"**Alright, everyone, listen up," **Morishige whispered as he outlined his plan. After explaining everything, he glanced up at everyone. **"…and that's the plan. Everyone got that?"**

Morishige looks around at everyone to confirm that they understood the plan. Everybody nods with a nervous look.

"**Okay," **Morishige said. **"Let's commence with Plan A."**

Yoshiki took a deep breath.

"**Alright, let's begin the audition!" **he said with an unnaturally boisterous voice.

"**Indeed," **Morishige 'agreed'. **"We can't start a play without seeing what our actors and actresses can do."**

"**You're right! Auditions are really important!" **Mayu 'added'.

"**What do we do in an audition?" **Sachiko asked.

"**First, you decide what role you would like to play," **Morishige explained. **"Then, you act out that role, and everybody decides, majority rules, as to whether you're fit for the role or not."**

"**Oh, oh! I want to be the detective!" **Sachiko exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and down. However, she stopped when she noticed that nobody else had raised their hands or given any verbal indications.

"**Why isn't anyone raising their hands?" **Sachiko inquired. **"It's the lead role…" **A frown appeared on her features. **"Something seems wrong here…"**

Everyone glanced at each other with worried expressions.

"**Shige-nii, Sachiko-san is starting to get mad!" **Mayu whispered worriedly.

"**Well, looks like Plan A is a loser," **Yoshiki replied softly.

"**Just as I thought," **Morishige replied with a sigh. **"Going through without any other candidate was a bit of a stretch. Alright then, let's commence with Plan B."**

Sachiko arched an eyebrow in suspicion.

"**It's kind of weird," **she mumbled. **"Are you guys being serious?"**

"**Actually, I want to give the lead role a try," **Mayu spoke up.

"**Me, too," **Nana said.

"**Me, three," **Nari piped in.

"**I-I'd like to give it a shot as well," **Chihaya stated.

"**Alright!" **Morishige declared. **"Show me the power of the drama club, girls!"**

"**I just realized something," **Yoshiki mumbled. **"It's kind of weird how we're acting in an audition."**

"**So, including me, there are five candidates," **Sachiko observed. **"As expected from a popular role like the detective!"**

"**Yeah, you're right," **Yoshiki agreed, before mumbling softly to himself. **"Everyone is actually volunteering because they're afraid of Sachiko, though."**

"**Alright," **Morishige began. **"We're going to start the audition with these five. The scene you'll be acting out is the detective Sacchan's introductory scene."**

"**That's the line 'Shining through the darkness with her detective skills, Supernatural Detective, Sacchan, is here!'" **Yoshiki explained.

"**Okay, Mayu, you're up first," **Morishige said. Mayu took a deep breath.

"**Shining through the darkness with her detective skills, Supernatural Detective, Sacchan, is here!" **she recited.

"**That was totally emotionless," **Morishige 'remarked'. Mayu glanced at him with a lopsided smile.

"**R-Really?" **Mayu said with a small giggle.

"**Alright, next up is Ogasawara-san," **Morishige said. Nana took a deep breath.

"**Shining through the darkness with her detective skills, Supernatural Detective, Sacchan, is here!" **Nana recited with feigned nervousness.

"**You were screwing up all over the place," **Morishige 'judged'.

"**S-Sorry. I always get nervous while auditioning for a big role, you know?" **Nana explained with a wink.

"**Next is Amatoya-san," **Morishige said. Nari took a deep breath.

"**Shining through the darkness with her detec…" **she began reciting, before letting a volley of fake coughs erupt from her mouth. **"I'm sorry, there seems to be a problem with my throat and…" **Her voice trailed off as she continued to 'cough'. Morishige sighed.

"**I see," **he remarked. **"I'm sorry, but you won't be able to play the lead role in that state."**

"**Aw…" **Nari said, feigning disappointment.

"**Okay, then, Yamase-san," **Morishige said, pointing at Chihaya. **"Give it a go." **Chihaya took a deep breath.

"**Shining through the darkness with her detect…" **she began, before stuttering and stopping midsentence. **"I'm sorry! I can't do it!"**

"**What's wrong?" **Morishige asked.

"**I… I just can't play the lead role!" **Chihaya explained. **"Please, let me retire!"**

"**I see," **Morishige said. **"So, Yamase-san has retired. At this rate, I can't let any of you guys take the role of Sacchan, which mean that the only one left to take the role is Sachiko. Thank you all for trying out…"**

Sachiko glared at the group, wondering why they were acting the way they were.

"**Suspicious," **she growled. **"It seems you're doing bad acting on purpose. Maybe you're not being serious…"**

Everybody once again glanced at each other with worried expressions.

"**Shige-nii, Plan B is a failure, too!" **Mayu whispered worriedly. **"She's really quite mad!"**

"**It's suspicious according to anyone's eyes," **Yoshiki whispered back. **"But I've got to give the little brat credit. She's got more brains than I ever gave her credit for."**

"**Then we don't have a choice," **Morishige replied. **"Time for our last resort. Let's commence with Plan C."**

Morishige cleared his throat and addressed everyone in the room.

"**Can everybody act like normal, please?" **Morishige requested. **"Otherwise, we won't be able to decide properly and fairly who gets the role. Now, one by one, starting with Mayu, please recite the opening line once more."**

Mayu, Nana, Nari and Chihaya nodded, and starting with Mayu, began to recite the opening line.

"**Shining through the darkness with her detective skills, Supernatural Detective, Sacchan, is here!" **Mayu recited. Next up was Nana.

"**Shining through the darkness with her detective skills, Supernatural Detective, Sacchan, is here!" **Nana recited. Next up was Nari.

"**Shining through the darkness with her detective skills, Supernatural Detective, Sacchan, is here!" **Nari recited. Next up was Chihaya.

"**Shining through the darkness with her detective skills, Supernatural Detective, Sacchan, is here!" **Chihaya recited.

"**Sachiko, how was that?" **Morishige asked.

"**Yeah, looks good!" **Sachiko exclaimed. **"This looks like it's going to be a close one!"**

"**Alright," **Morishige replied. **"Then give it a go, Sachiko."**

Sachiko cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

"**Shining through the darkness with her detective skills, Supernatural Detective, Sacchan, is here!" **Sachiko recited, throwing her fist into the air with the last word. Everyone remained silent for a few moments. Yoshiki glanced over at Morishige, a disgusted look on his face.

"**Oy!" **the blonde boy moaned. **"That was emotionless beyond words! What are we gonna do?!"**

"**There's nothing we can do," **Morishige explained. **"We need to let Sachiko be the main role."**

"**Yeah, you're right," **Yoshiki begrudgingly agreed. **"Can't we just take a vote and just make Sachiko play the lead role already?" **After thinking about it for a moment, Morishige shook his head, his acting instincts kicking in.

"**But I can't accept someone with that lack of acting to be the main role!" **he growled, a deep scowl appearing on his face.

"**Just keep calm, Shige-nii!" **Mayu exclaimed. **"I'm sure Sacchan will get better with practice."**

Morishige let out a sigh of resignation.

"**You're right," **he said. **"I need to calm down."**

Morishige took a couple of deep breaths and turned to everyone. Mayu started handing out the cards she had prepared earlier.

"**Alright, let's begin the voting," **Morishige explained.

"**Please write down the person you think is most fit for the role of Sacchan and return the papers to me once you are done," **Mayu announced.

After several minutes, everyone turned in their slips. Mayu 'counted' up the votes and turned to the group.

"**I will now announce the winner," **she declared. She looks at each contestant and announced the winner. **"The winner, by unanimous vote, is… Sachiko! Congratulations!"**

Everyone started clapping.

"**Congratulations!" **all the girls said. Sachiko remained silent for a moment, causing Yoshiki to glance at Morishige with a worried expression.

"**H-Hey, was it still too obvious?" **he asked nervously.

"**Maybe a unanimous vote wasn't a good idea, but I can't cover this up anymore," **Morishige explained. But then, a wide smile appeared on Sachiko's face and she burst into happy laughter.

"**Yaaaaay! I'm the lead role!" **she exclaimed happily. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"**Thank God," **Mayu sighed. **"She seems happy now."**

* * *

After deciding the rest of the roles, Morishige lined everyone up on the stage to begin rehearsal exercises.

"**Open your mouth wide and follow after me, producing your voice from the belly," **Morishige instructed. **"A… E… I… U… E… O… A… O!"**

"**A… E… I… U… E… O… A… O!" **everyone chanted.

"**Kishinuma, Sachiko, you're not producing your voice from the belly!" **Morishige yelled. **"Quick and sharp, no extending of the vowels!"**

"**A-Alright!" **Yoshiki complained. _'Geez, Morishige is kind of freaking me out…' _Yoshiki thought. **"A… E… I… U… E… O… A… O!"**

"**A… E… I… U… E… O… A… O!" **Sachiko chanted.

"**Alright, that's the ticket!" **Morishige encouraged. Yoshiki glanced over at Sachiko with an incredulous look on his face.

'_Sachiko is seriously participating in practice…? You've got to be shitting me,' _Yoshiki thought.

"**Um, is it safe to leave Morishige-san to say stuff like that to Sachiko-san?" **Nana asked.

"**If we just happened to tick off Sachiko-san…" **Nari extended with worry. Chihaya shuddered with fright.

"**Alright," **Morishige continued. **"Next, we'll go up on stage and practice. First up is Ogasawara-san!"**

"**Okay," **Nana replied. Morishige and Nana climb up onto the stage.

"**Okay, Nana, you're the discoverer of the body," **Morishige explained. **"Let's do the scene where you're blamed for the crime. I'll fill in on the detective role for the time being."**

Then, almost like he had just turned into a completely different person, Morishige, now in character, points at Nana.

"**Ogasawara-san… you're the culprit!" **Morishige shouted.

"**What?" **Nana replied, also in character. **"W-Why?! No way! What proof do you have that I did it?! Please explain this to me!"**

Morishige nods enthusiastically at Nana's acting.

"**Good!" **he acknowledged. **"You're putting emotion into your acting, as well as your lines! You've got a good sense going on there. Like so, you have to become and understand the character in order to act well."**

"**Except that' becoming the character' is what's difficult…" **Yoshiki remarked.

"**Thank you, Ogasawara-san," **Morishige said, before glancing at Sachiko. **"Alright, Sachiko. Let's give it a go."**

"**Alrighty then," **Sachiko said. As Morishige hops off the stage, she steps up onto it. **"Okay, I'm gonna start." **She gets into character and points at Nana.

"**Nana… you're the culprit!" **Sachiko says with a manic laugh.

"**No!" **Morishige shouted sharply from below the stage. **"You're trying to be a detective, not the evil murderer!"**

"**Well, that's what she kind of is…" **Yoshiki muttered to himself. Mayu buried her face in her hands.

"**Oh… I suspected it would come to this…" **she moaned.

"**What we have here is a detective of justice that captures evil, right?" **Morishige explained. **"A member of justice doesn't laugh creepily like that."**

"**Creepily?!" **Yoshiki gasped, face palming at Morishige's words. **"Oh, dude…"**

"**He's really saying things that might get Sachiko really mad…" **Nari warned. However, as if to ignore the others' warnings, Morishige continues on.

"**Listen here, Sachiko," **he said. **"Your role is 'the detective of justice'. Don't forget that."**

Sachiko remained silent for a few moments, pondering Morishige's words with a blank look on her face. The worry on everyone's face was beginning to show.

"**I think Sachiko is getting mad, dude!" **Yoshiki warned.

"**Morishige-san is gonna die! I know it!" **Nana gasped.

However, as everyone waited for the inevitable explosion, Sachiko turned to Morishige and nodded in affirmation.

"**I understand, Morishige," **she said, before pausing for a moment. **"No… Morishige-sensei! I'll do my best!"**

"**What?!" **everyone shouted.

"**S-Sensei?!" **Nana repeated in disbelief.

"**To think that the ultimately evil Sachiko isn't getting angry…" **Nari muttered, also in total disbelief.

"**A pure-hearted Sachiko-san is… weird…" **Chihaya said.

"**Weird? More like creepy as hell!" **Yoshiki exclaimed. Morishige looked back and glared at the group.

"**Hey! Stop talking!" **he scolded. **"You're disrupting our practice."**

"**Huh? Oh, sorry," **Yoshiki apologized. _'Seems like Morishige is really serious about this, huh?' _**"Hey, Morishige, if you're so uptight about this, we won't be able to finish this by today, you know? If you don't take it easy, we will…"**

"**No can do," **Morishige replied. **"I don't want to call a half-assed play a proper play. My principle is to perfect anything and everything."**

"**Damn it, dude!" **Yoshiki snapped. **"Who cares what it's like, as long as Sachiko is happy with it?! What are you getting all hotheaded about?!"**

"**Sachiko, one more time," **Morishige said, ignoring Yoshiki, causing the blonde to growl in response.

"**Okay," **Sachiko replied, getting back into character. **"Nana… you're the culprit, am I right?"**

"**No! You've got to be more righteous!" **Morishige commanded. **"One more time!"**

Sachiko moaned with disappointment.

"**Oy, Oy," **Yoshiki groaned. **"Sachiko is about to lose it! Suzumoto, stop Morishige already! If he keeps going like this, something bad is bound to happen sooner or later!"**

"**Y-Yeah, Mayu-san!" **Nana agreed. **"Please stop him!"**

After thinking for a moment, Mayu surprised everyone with her response.

"**Shige-nii is… he's only concentrating on acting," **she explained. **"Right now, Shige-nii is shining bright! There's no way I can stop him now!"**

"**Shining bright, my ass!" **Yoshiki shouted. **"If Sachiko gets mad, then the first person she'll kill is Morishige!"**

"**Isn't there any way to stop Morishige-san?" **Nari asked.

Meanwhile, while the fevered conversation was going on, Morishige's lessons were continuing on.

"**Okay, Sachiko," **he instructed. **"Try it the way I said it."**

"**You're the culprit," **Sachiko recited.

"**You're still not in character!" **Morishige commented. Sachiko moaned in frustration.

"**I'm just getting yelled at…" **she complained. **"This isn't fun at all!"**

"**This is bad," **Yoshiki said worriedly. **"Sachiko is definitely in a bad mood…"**

"**In that case…" **Nana began as she walked toward the stage. **"Sachiko-san?"**

"**Yes, Nana Onee-Chan?" **Sachiko said, gazing in Nana's direction.

"**Could you come here for a minute?" **Nana requested. **"There's something I have to talk to you about."**

Sachiko grunts in confusion as she jumps off the stage, a stern look on her face.

"**What's wrong, Ogasawara-san?" **Morishige inquired.

"**N-Nothing at all," **Nana replied. **"Please don't mind us. I just need to talk to Sachiko-san for a moment."**

Nana led Sachiko away from Morishige so they could talk in private. Sachiko let out a sad sigh as she gazed up at Nana.

"**Thanks for the good timing," **Sachiko admitted. **"It was so boring just practicing. I want to do something that's more fun."**

"**Well, Sachiko-san," **Nana began. **"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, the reason Morishige-san is so harsh to you is because he has big expectations from you."**

"**Expectations… from me?" **Sachiko asked.

"**It's a natural thing to be harsh to someone that is expected to do great things," **Nana continued. **"You're a ball of talent! Your acting is amazing!"**

"**I just stare blankly in amazement when you act!" **Nari chimed in.

"**You're a one in a million actress!" **Chihaya added.

Everyone started to applaud around Sachiko.

"**I see," **Yoshiki observed. **"They're trying to make Sachiko feel better by praising her!"**

"**I'm… being expected of great things…?" **Sachiko asked, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"**Yeah," **Yoshiki replied. **"Morishige is making you do it over and over because he knows you'll get better at acting! Now that you know he's expecting great things from you, why not continue practicing?"**

"**I understand," **Sachiko acknowledged. **"I'll continue to get better. I promise you that!"**

With a confident nod, Sachiko turns and walks back onto the stage.

"**Let's return to practice," **Morishige requested. **"We don't have that much time."**

Sachiko giggled.

"**Morishige is strict towards me because you expect great things from me, huh?" **she said. Morishige tilted his head in confusion. **"It's okay. You don't need to say anymore. I'll show you my true talent, so don't you worry."**

"**Not sure what you're on about, but if you're ready, then that's all that matters," **Morishige replied. **"Alright, let's try it again, from that scene."**

Sachiko took a deep breath.

"**The culprit is… you!" **Sachiko shouted.

"**No!" **Morishige shouted.

Then, to the complete shock of everyone, he walked up and… slapped Sachiko?! Everyone let out a shocked, horrified gasp.

"**H-H-He just slapped Sachiko…!" **Yoshiki gasped.

"**Oh, no! This is the end…!" **Chihaya cried.

"**Wait! Look at that…" **Nana said, pointing at the stage. Much to everyone's shock, Sachiko stared up at Morishige, a determined look on her face.

"**Morishige… I… I won't give up!" **she declared in a confident voice. Finally, Morishige let a smile grace his lips.

"**Well said!" **he acknowledged. **"I was waiting for those words! Sachiko, believe in yourself. You can do it!"**

Sachiko ran up and grasped both of Morishige's hands.

"**Morishige!" **she shouted.

"**Sachiko!" **Morishige returned the favor.

Meanwhile, everyone was staring at the scene in front of them with dumbfounded looks on their faces.

"**What the actual hell…?" **Yoshiki mumbled in disbelief.

"**This is getting kind of weird…" **Nana also mumbled.

Mayu stared at the scene in front of her with a wide smile on her face and stars in her eyes.

"**Shige-nii… is so cool!" **she admired.

"**Well, looks like Mayu is completely out of it as well," **Yoshiki said with a sigh. **"I wonder when we're actually gonna do something, though. This is getting boring as all hell."**

With that, Yoshiki began walking toward the door.

"**Kishinuma-san, where are you going?" **Chihaya asked.

"**It seems my time has yet to come, so I'm off on a stroll so that I'm not being bored to death by how long this is taking," **Yoshiki replied. With distant eyes, he wanders off outside the auditorium.

"**Alright, one more time!" **Morishige instructed. **"The scene where you pinpoint the culprit!"**

"**The culprit is… you!" **Sachiko shouted once more.

Over the next several hours, Sachiko practiced with Morishige and everybody else did their own practice to prepare for the play. They even did a dress rehearsal to simulate performing the play.

* * *

Finally, after several hours, the moment of truth arrived…

"**Alright, you guys!" **Morishige announced. **"We've lived through the harsh practice. Now, all that's left for us to do is to give it our all in the main show!"**

"**We're finally done…" **Nana said with exhaustion.

"**I'm glad Morishige-san didn't get killed at least…" **Chihaya mumbled.

"**Killed? But I'm not the role of the victim," **Morishige remarked in confusion. Nari face palmed in response.

"**This guy has no idea what he did to be in such danger," **she remarked in disbelief. Morishige looked around the stage.

"**Well, we got the acting out of the way, but there aren't any props or backgrounds," **he said.

"**Have no fear," **Sachiko assured. **"I can change the backgrounds and props while the play is going on. All I have to do is snap my fingers, and presto!" **

"**You can do something like that?" **Morishige inquired.

"**Heavenly Host is set up for a party today," **Sachiko explained. **"I can easily do stuff like this."**

As Sachiko snaps her fingers several times, the props and backgrounds disappear and reappear like magic.

"**Amazing!" **Mayu admired. **"Now we don't need to worry about props and stuff!"**

Just then, the door opened, revealing that Yoshiki had returned from outside the auditorium.

"**Kishinuma, where have you been?" **Morishige asked with a stern look on his face. **"You haven't even practiced for the play!"**

"**Well, I was on a journey of self-realization," **Yoshiki replied.

"**That makes no sense," **Morishige replied in confusion. **"Anyway, we're almost ready to go on, so you might want to prepare yourself."**

"**Seriously?!" **Yoshiki hissed. **"I haven't practiced at all… actually, I haven't even seen the script, so I have no idea what role I'm playing either." **He let out a sigh of resignation. **"I guess I'm the victim, so I fight with the culprit and stuff. Isn't that gonna be difficult?"**

"**Don't worry," **Morishige replied. **"Your role is one that can be done even with zero practice."**

"**Huh? Really?" **Yoshiki inquired. Sachiko let out a small giggle.

"**Alright, let's call the crowd in, then," **she said, turning to Yoshikazu. **"Hey, you big dumb, time to go get everyone. The play's about to begin!"**

Yoshikazu groaned and nodded in affirmation before turning and leaving the auditorium, bound for the Infirmary where everyone was waiting.

* * *

After several minutes, the students began to file into the auditorium, as well as several spirits of the school. The Kisaragi group filed into their seats next to one another as they waited for the play to start.

"**Well, they said it was gonna be a play, but I wonder what it's gonna be like," **Satoshi remarked.

"**Sachiko is the main role, right?" **Naomi asked. **"I wonder…" **Packer let out a small laugh.

"**Knowing her, it's probably something horror related in all likelihood," **he replied. Seiko giggled.

"**I want to do a lovey-dovey romantic comedy with Packer-kun, though," **she said wistfully. Packer's cheeks flared red at her words.

"**Aw, no way," **he said with embarrassment. **"I'd be too embarrassed to do something like that." **Seiko cupped Packer's face in her hands and giggled.

"**Aw, you're so cute when you blush," **she remarked. Of course, this only made Packer's already red cheeks deepen in color. Naomi giggled at the sight of the two of them.

"**Come to think of it, this is the first time I'll get to watch Morishige-kun and Suzumoto-san act," **Yui said.

"**But it's a play that Sachiko-san made, so it doesn't really sound like a particular good idea," **Ayumi replied with caution.

Further down, Naho and Sayaka sat down in their seats, although Naho seemed less than thrilled.

"**Do I have to watch this?" **she growled.

"**Naho-Chan, let's just go with the flow here," **Sayaka suggested.

"**Sayaka, the seat next to me is free…"**

"**I've decided that I'm next to Naho-Chan…" **Sayaka began, before her voice trailed off, and her eyes widened at the familiar voice. Turning her head, the person talking to her was… Inumaru?! **"Hey! I thought you were sent home!"**

Yuka and Satsuki also took their seats next to the Kisaragi group.

"**Yuka-chi, I wonder what the play is gonna be like," **Satsuki beamed.

"**Satsuki-Chan, you have to be quiet once it starts, okay?" **Yuka asked.

As everyone continued to file in, the crowd consisted of a little more than twenty people. From behind the curtain, Yoshiki's eyes widened as he noticed how big the crowd was.

"**That's more people than I thought there'd be…" **he remarked.

"**Alright, everyone. Prepare yourself backstage," **Morishige announced. **"We're going on momentarily. Remember, everyone, just give it your all!"**

* * *

Suddenly, there was a loud buzzing sound, directing everyone's attention to the stage. Then, there was an announcement over the loud speaker.

"_**We will now begin 'Sacchan, the Supernatural Detective', brought to you by 'Sachiko and her happy little friends'. Please don't forget to turn off all mobile phones and electrical devices."**_

"**Got to love the sponsor plug," **Packer laughed.

"_**While we wait for the performers to set up, please enjoy the show's promotional video in the meantime."**_

"**They even made a promotional video?" **Satoshi remarked with amazement.

"**Just how much effort did they put in?" **Naomi asked.

"**Apparently, a lot," **Packer replied.

The lights were lowered, and the promotional video began playing on the big screen in front of them.

* * *

The promo was being shown in a widescreen view. A flash of lightning lit up the hallway of the school.

_The day the mysterious murder happened…_

_**Nana: (screams) There's a dead body!**_

_One by one, the possible culprits appear. One by one, the plot thickens…_

The camera fades in to reveal the inside of a dark classroom, with Yoshiki sitting in one of the desks with a smirk on his face.

_**Yoshiki: (chuckles) I'll scribble all over that person's history textbook! I'll draw a beard on every historical figure ever…**_

Packer covered his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing out loud. He was vibrating violently from laughing silently, though.

_**Morishige: Wahh! Francisco de Xavier is… he doesn't have enough hair up top and yet down below, he's been turned into a hairball!**_

"**Wait, who the heck is Francisco de Xavier?" **Satsuki asked.

"**He was a Spanish Roman Catholic missionary born in the 1500s," **Packer replied.

_An uncracked mystery… a twisted craving…_

The camera fades back in to reveal another classroom bathed in light, with three girls within it.

_**Nana: I bought a new candy at the convenience store!**_

_**Nari: Ooh, looks tasty. But what's the calories on it?**_

_**Chihaya: Why do people get fat when they eat, I wonder?**_

The camera fades to black once more.

_And so, the people called 'them' for assistance…_

A cellphone begins ringing in the background. Then, the camera fades in to reveal Azusa and Ran standing in the hallway of the school. Azusa picks up her cellphone and answers it.

_**Azusa: Hello? Is this the number for the Supernatural Detective Sacchan…? What? You don't sell that kind of ramen here? Oh, dear. I called the wrong number!**_

_**Ran: Wife, calm down!**_

The camera fades out one last time.

_The new horror mystery: Sacchan, Supernatural Detective. Coming Soon!_

* * *

"**Best promotional video ever," **Packer laughed.

"**The narration seems reasonable, but the actual thing was…" **Kurosaki began.

"**Pure chaos, I'd say," **Fukuroi finished.

Then, another announcement came over the intercom.

"_**On a side note, the promotional video you just saw is just an image. It has no relation to the actual play."**_

"**Are you freaking serious?!" **Satoshi yelled. Naomi, Seiko and Packer chuckled and giggled in response.

"**Best troll ever," **Packer laughed.

"**I agree," **Naomi replied, still giggling. Just then, the curtain began to part, revealing the stage had been set for the first scene.

"**All right, guys," **Packer said. **"It's time for the main event."**

With the curtains fully drawn back, they could see that the first scene was set in a school highway, which was completely dark.

* * *

_A stand-of-the-mill regular school life… However, that regular day crumbled with the scream of one girl…_

Suddenly, the scream of Nana echoed throughout the auditorium, and the scene then revealed that Yoshiki was lying face down on the ground, with a knife in his back.

"**Someone… someone is dead!" **Nana shouted. Yoshiki let out a small groan of annoyance.

'_I even did a voice preparation thing, and my role doesn't even have any freaking dialogue!' _he thought. _'So, this is what Morishige meant about being able to do this role without any practice. Clever bastard…'_

The students gathered from Nana's scream that echoed throughout the school.

"**What?! A dead body?!" **Morishige exclaimed.

"**What's wrong, Nana?!" **Nari asked.

"**Nana-Chan, are you alri…" **Chihaya began, before noticing the body and letting an ear-piercing scream escape her diaphragm.

"**This is…" **Azusa mumbled.

"**He's dead…" **Ran observed.

"**What happened here?!" **Morishige yelled, before pulling out his cellphone. **"Let's take a picture for the time being."**

As Morishige takes the picture, Yoshiki eyes Morishige as best he can with a look of annoyance on his face.

"**Are you serious, dude?!" **he mumbled.

"**Kishinuma…" **Morishige moaned. **"Who did this to you?! What a terrible thing to have happened to you!"**

"**Is he a friend of yours?" **Nana asked.

"**Yeah," **Morishige replied. **"Kishinuma is my best friend. Damn it… who could've done this?!"**

Nana reached down and felt Yoshiki's body, letting out a small gasp.

"**The body is still warm," **she observed. **"It hasn't been long since he was killed."**

"**Don't tell me… the killer is still in the school?!" **Nari implied worriedly.

"**No way…" **Chihaya gasped. **"What should we do?!"**

"**Everybody, please calm yourselves down," **Azusa said.

"**Calm down?!" **Morishige shouted. **"Don't mess with me! My friend just died, and the killer might still be in the school building!"**

"**Damn, Morishige is pretty good," **Packer observed.

"**Wailing about it won't change anything," **Azusa replied. **"In any respect, why don't we test out one of the seven haunted mysteries of the school?"**

"**Seven haunted mysteries?" **Morishige repeated.

"**Indeed," **Azusa confirmed. **"When the school has fallen into peril, and a mystery needs to be solved, then we must call upon the only one who can solve it! The Supernatural Detective… Sacchan!"**

Then, the scene changed to show that Azusa, Ran and Morishige were standing in the middle of a classroom, holding a Sachiko Ever After charm.

"**We need to take this Sachiko paper doll and pull on it at the same time," **Azusa explained.

"**And then, Sacchan will appear?" **Morishige asked.

"**Indeed," **Azusa replied.

"**Well, then, let's do it," **Morishige said.

"**Yeah, let's do it!" **Ran shouted enthusiastically.

"**One, two, three!" **Morishige counted. Together, they pulled the charm apart. There was a thunder crash, and then, the room went completely dark.

"**What the?!" **Morishige shouted. **"Everything went dark!"**

"**Wife! Are you alright?!" **Ran yelled, trying to find grab hold of Azusa.

"**Hey! Don't hold me there through all the calamity!" **Azusa exclaimed.

"**Ooohhh, come oooon…" **Ran moaned wistfully.

"**Is everyone okay?!" **Nana shouted.

"**Y-Yeah," **Chihaya replied.

Then, another bolt of lightning illuminated the room, and everyone gasped as they could see a new figure standing near one of the windows, holding what appeared to be a pair of scissors.

"**W-Who are you?!" **Morishige shouted.

"**Shining through the darkness with her detective skills, Supernatural Detective, Sacchan, is here!" **Sachiko chanted. It also appeared that Sachiko was now wearing a detective's outfit, compete with a detective cap and long jacket.

Another bolt of lightning illuminated the room as Sachiko twirled the scissors around her finger.

"**Have no fear," **she said. **"I am a member of justice."**

"**Whoa, whoa, whoa!" **Kurosaki yelled. **"She's a member of justice with a freaking pair of scissors in her hand?!"**

"**Yeah," **Fukuroi agreed. **"All I see is a villain."**

Yoshikazu glared at the Byakudan boys and started roaring angrily at them.

"**Whoa, what the hell?!" **Katayama yelped. **"Why is he getting all mad at us?!**

"**I think he's telling us to just accept that fact!" **Ohkawa yelled.

"**Then I suggest you do so if you value your life," **Packer pointed out.

_The Supernatural Detective, Sacchan, was called upon via the mysterious ritual done by the students. With Azusa and Ran as her assistants, Sacchan began the investigation._

Sachiko stared down at the body in front of her.

"**So, this is the victim," **she observed.

"**Indeed," **Azusa replied. **"There are no witnesses or clues left. It may be possible that the culprit had a rather meticulous personality."**

"**Hmmmm…" **Sachiko hummed in thought. Meanwhile, Yoshiki's thoughts continued racing as he lied there.

'_Am I just gonna stay like this?' _Yoshiki thought. _'Actually, what the heck am I doing? She's an evil spirit that has killed countless innocent people.' _He stopped his train of thought for a moment and sighed. _'No, if I go on a rampage and piss off Sachiko, then I'll be responsible for getting everybody killed. It can't be helped, so I'll stay calm for now.'_

"**Turn your ears to the untold voices," **Sachiko said.

"**What do you mean?" **Azusa asked. Sachiko pointed to Yoshiki's right hand, which had a trace of blood on the forefinger.

"**Look. The finger of the dead body… has written a 'W' in blood," **Sachiko pointed out.

"**W-What?!" **Ran shouted incredulously. **"Oh, my God! I didn't notice that at all!"**

"**That's so cliché," **Naho remarked. **"You think you'd notice something like they, wouldn't you?"**

"**Yeah, that's my Naho-tan!" **Sayaka replied. **"You really think outside the box!"**

"**It's nothing special," **Naho retorted. **"By the way, there are hardly any real-life cases where there is any kind of blood writing left over."**

"**This is a dying message," **Sachiko explained. **"Words left by the dead."**

"**Dying message," **Azusa said. **"A 'W'… I wonder, what meaning does that hold?"**

After a moment, Sachiko glanced up at everyone.

"**Gather everyone to the classroom," **she announced. **"I've cracked this case to send the dead to nirvana."**

_And so, everybody was gathered to the classroom, where Sachiko began her reveal._

"**What's this about?" **Morishige questioned. **"Calling everyone out like this…"**

"**Don't tell me… you've figured out who the killer is?!" **Nana exclaimed.

"**Who is it?" **Nari asked.

"**Please tell us!" **Chihaya begged.

"**Everyone, please settle down," **Azusa said. **"This case was solved from the dying message left by the victim."**

"**Now, Supernatural Detective Sacchan, please reveal the culprit!" **Ran shouted.

"**The culprit is… you, Nana!" **Sachiko shouted, causing Nana to gasp in surprise.

"**What?! Me?!" **she yelled indignantly.

"**No way," **Chihaya gasped. **"Nana-Chan, it was you?!"**

"**I see," **Morishige said. **"The discoverer of the body is the most suspicious person here."**

"**H-Hey, hold on," **Nana yelled. **"Why me?!"**

"**The key to this case is the letter 'W'," **Sachiko explained. **"And OgasaWara Nana, your name is the only one with the letter 'W' in it."**

"**Ooh, pretty clever," **Packer admired.

"**No way!" **Nana rejected. **"If you were to use an alphabet to express a name, you'd think you'd use the first letter of the name…"**

"**I'm sure W was used because there are other people with O and N in their names," **Sachiko continued.

"**That's a pretty good point," **Ayumi said.

"**But I don't think you would think that deep before you die," **Nana argued.

"**Hmmm…" **Sachiko hummed, before coming to a conclusion. **"I guess you're right."**

"**S-Sacchan?!" **Ran exclaimed.

"**Everybody makes mistakes," **Sachiko said. **"Even a super genius detective like me gets it wrong every now and then." **She looks back at the body. **"But if the W doesn't represent Nana as the killer, then what else could it mean? It looks like we'll have to dig a little deeper to figure this mystery out." **She glanced at the group. **"I'll think it over. Everyone is free to go."**

"**It's kind of strange to see a detective admit their own mistakes so easily," **Azusa remarked.

"**But it makes me wonder why we were summoned in the first place…" **Morishige said.

_With Sachiko admitting her flaws and mistakes, she returned to the hallway to rethink her theories._

"**So, 'W' didn't represent Nana," **she mumbled.

"**Sacchan, who exactly could the culprit be?" **Azusa asked.

Sachiko stayed silent for a while, until she finally opened her mouth.

"**Oh, I got it!" **she shouted. **"I had the meaning of the W mixed up!"**

"**You figured it out?" **Azusa inquired.

"**Yep," **Sachiko replied. **"Azusa, Ran, gather everybody back to the classroom."**

After several minutes, everyone returned to the classroom.

"**What is it now, calling everyone back so soon?" **Morishige asked.

"**Did you figure out who the real killer is?" **Nana asked.

"**Who is it?!" **Nari inquired.

"**Please tell us!" **Chihaya exclaimed.

"**Everybody, please calm down," **Azusa said. **"Sacchan has now finally figured out the mystery of the dying message."**

"**Now, please announce the killer's name!" **Ran said.

"**Indeed," **Sachiko replied. **"But before we do that… I need everybody to pull up your shirts and show me your waists."**

"**Eh?" **Nana mumbled.

"**What?" **Nari said.

"**W-Why?" **Chihaya asked.

"**The dying message left by the victim, the 'W', is most likely a symbol for the word 'waist'," **Sachiko explained. **"I speculate there is some kind of scar left on the culprit's waist that will be key to cracking this case wide open."**

"**I see," **Morishige realized. **"In a mystery story, there are many cases where the victim leaves a clue on the culprit's body before they die."**

"**But… I'm not too comfortable with showing my waist in front of boys," **Nari said with embarrassment.

"**Don't worry," **Morishige assured. **"Oh, I'll be out of the room when you do it, so just call me back when you're done."**

"**Hm, I think it's fine if we just get Morishige-san to face the other way instead," **Nana suggested. **"Then all we have to do is surround her, so nothing is showing."**

"**Yeah," **Chihaya agreed. **"I think that's fine, too."**

"**But…" **Nari stuttered, still showing signs of hesitation.

While everyone seemed to be giving their okay, only Nari gives a stern look on her face. Sachiko giggles in response.

"**So, you've shown your true colors," **she declared. **"You must be the killer, Nari."**

"**N-No! I didn't do it!" **Nari yelled.

"**If that's true, then why are you so hesitant about showing us your waist?" **Sachiko inquired.

"**W-Well…" **Nari stuttered, trying to think of a good excuse.

"**No way, Nari-Chan," **Chihaya said in disbelief.

"**No way!" **Nana shouted. **"Nari-Chan would never do something like this!"**

Suddenly, Nana grabbed Nari from behind.

"**Chihaya-Chan!" **Nana shouted. **"I'll keep her here, so go get that thing in the meantime!"**

"**Okay!" **Chihaya acknowledged, running out of the classroom.

"**Eh? Chihaya?" **Nari exclaimed.

After a minute or two, Chihaya came running back in with… measuring tape?

"**Just hold on for a little while, Nari-Chan," **Nana said. **"Morishige-san, can you face the other way for a minute, please?"**

"**Oh, okay," **Morishige replied.

"**N-No!" **Nari yelled. **"Chihaya, Nana, please let me go!"**

"**Sorry, Nari-Chan!" **Chihaya apologized. **"I'll be gentle!"**

"_**NOOOOOOOOO!" **_Nari screamed.

After a few minutes, it was over.

"**Well, we've finished measuring her waist," **Chihaya said.

Nari moaned with embarrassment.

"**I knew it," **Nana said. **"She got fatter, and yet I told you so many times!"**

A sharp piano sound echoes throughout the school.

"**It's all… it's all the candy's fault!" **Nari cried. **"It's because there are such sweet and tasty things on this planet!"**

"**It connected to the promotional video?" **Yui noticed.

"**I know that feel!" **Seiko said. **"It's hard to hold off on something that's so easy to get and that is so sweet and tasty!"**

"**Doesn't seem to have affected your figure any, Seiko," **Packer laughed. Seiko giggled in response.

"**Aw, thanks, Packer-kun," **she cooed.

"**On the road to beauty, a diet is an unavoidable obstacle," **Azusa said. **"You'll never be a beautiful woman if you can't avoid such easy obstacles like sweets, you know? Anyway, was there any kind of clue on Nari-Chan's waist?"**

"**No, there wasn't anything there," **Nana replied.

"**Nari-Chan… would never do something like that," **Chihaya piped in.

"**Seeing is believing!" **Nana said. **"Take a look. This is the proof!"**

She roughly raised Nari's shirt up, much to her chagrin.

"**Hey, Nana!" **she exclaimed. **"Don't raise my shirt up!"**

"**Hmmm… doesn't seem like there are any scars," **Sachiko surmised, before turning to Morishige. **"Hey, Morishige, show me your waist, too."**

"**I see no point, but here you go," **Morishige replied, exposing his waist.

Every member's waist was checked, but there was nothing significant to indicate the culprit.

"**Sacchan, what is this all about?" **Azusa asked.

"**Looks like I misinterpreted the message again," **Sachiko replied.

"**Is that so?" **Ran asked. Sachiko sighed with relative frustration.

"**Alright, everybody can scram for now," **Sachiko announced. **"If I find something, I'll call you back in."**

"**You're so rough," **Morishige sighed.

_Knowing now that Nari was not the culprit, Sachiko once again returned to the scene of the crime._

"**So, Nari wasn't the culprit," **Sachiko mumbled to herself. **"Then, who is…?"**

"**Sacchan, who's the culprit?" **Azusa asked. **"I'm starting to get a little worried."**

"**Have no fear," **Sachiko assured. **"I'll find out for sure this time. Hmmm… the culprit… has to be…"**

"**Come on, hurry up and track the killer down!" **Ran complained. **"Huurryy uuuuuuuup!"**

"**Shut up!" **Sachiko growled. **"Do you want to die?!"**

"**I-I'm terribly sorry!" **Ran gasped, backpedaling. Sachiko looked back down at the marking, and then, the light bulb finally went off in her head.

"**Oh, so that's what it is," **Sachiko realized.

"**What have you found out, Sacchan?" **Azusa asked.

"**We were viewing this as a 'W' the entire time," **Sachiko explained. **"But in reality, it's not a 'W' at all. Instead, if we look at it from a different angle, the letter is actually an 'M'!"**

"**My goodness, you're right!" **Ran exclaimed.

"**And the words that Nana gave me acted as a hint," **Sachiko continued. **"If you were to use the alphabet as a clue, you would use it as a first letter, and there is only one person with an 'M' in their name. Azusa, Ran, gather everybody up."**

"**Have you finally got it this time?" **Ran asked. Sachiko nodded.

After everyone had been gathered back in the classroom, Sachiko let out a knowing giggle and set a steely eye on Morishige.

"**I've finally pinpointed the real killer," **she declared, pointing a finger at Morishige. **"It's you, Morishige!"**

Morishige gasped in surprise at first, but then, his face twisted into something resembling that of a madman, and he began to laugh manically.

"**I'm surprised you found out!" **he said.

"**Why did you kill Kishinuma?" **Sachiko inquired.

"**That guy," **Morishige explained. **"He drew all over my Japanese History textbook! It's all his fault!"**

"**This part is connected to the PV, too?!" K**atayama exclaimed.

"**Come on. I thought it was pretty obvious from the moment he took the photo of a dead body," **Kurosaki answered.

"**To me, Kishinuma was a great friend," **Morishige continued. **"But he had to draw all over Francisco de Xavier's face. Why did it have to come to this? Now that I think about it, it wasn't something to get so mad about… Kishinuma… I'm sorry… Maybe I was irritated by Yoshiki, being so rude, obnoxious, and having such a selfish and terribly insensitive personality."**

_With Morishige's confession, this case had come to a close. However… Sachiko still felt a sense of unease about this case._

"**This was indeed a sad case, but… something is bugging me…" **Sachiko said, eyes distant.

"**Yeah," **Azusa replied. **"According to some of the reports I've obtained, it seems that Sakutaro-kun has an alibi in this case."**

"**At the time of the murder, Sakutaro-kun was seen practicing for his play in the gymnasium," **Ran continued.

"**So, Morishige wasn't the culprit…" **Sachiko mumbled. **"And yet, he lied about being the culprit, which means he was covering for somebody else!"**

"**So, you were wrong again?" **Ran asked. Sachiko glared at the purple-haired girl.

"**Wrong," **she replied. **"It simply means he was an accomplice in the murder." **She scratched her chin in thought, and then, the answer came to her. **"I've got it! There happens to be one more person with a name starting with 'M'!"**

"**Another person starting with 'M'? I hope you're right," **Ran replied, a little unsure.

"**I'm certain this time," **Sachiko said with confidence. **"Okay, I've figured everything out. Come on out, the only other person with a name starting with 'M'…" **After pausing for a dramatic effect, she boldly announced the name of the true killer…

"_**MAYU!"**_

Right as she calls her out, Mayu appears in front of her, a smug look on her features. She lets an evil giggle escape from her mouth.

"**I'm surprised," **she said. **"Yes. Indeed, I am the real culprit!"**

"_**WHAAAAAAAAT?!" **_the entire audience shouted.

"**Holy shit, man!" **Packer yelled in shock, yet a smile was plastered all over his features. **"That plot twist… even I never saw that one coming!"**

"**But why is it Suzumoto?!" **Satoshi shouted. **"But… she was never a character that came out in the story…"**

"**In these past couple of scenes, there was no information given about me, but I was actually there the whole time," **Mayu explained. **"I call it 'The Deception Trick'!"**

"**I-Is that even legal?" **Satoshi wondered.

"**You bet your ass it's legal," **Packer replied. **"It keeps the audience guessing, and it featured a huge plot twist. Absolute genius."**

"**Mayu…" **Morishige whispered, walking up to her.

"**Thank you, Shige-nii, for covering for me," **Mayu said. **"I was really happy. But I can't stand watching Shige-nii getting hit with all the blame!"**

"**Mayu, why did you kill Kishinuma?" **Sachiko inquired.

"**Kishinuma-kun, Shige-nii and I were always good friends," **Mayu explained. **"I always thought they would be good friends… until that love triangle happened!"**

"**A love triangle…" **Azusa repeated. **"Don't tell me… Sakutaro-kun and Knight-kun were fighting over you?"**

'_Well, this is kind of turning weird…' _Yoshiki thought.

"**No, that's not it," **Mayu said, causing Azusa to gasp.

"**But… that love triangle is…" **she began.

"**I loved Shige-nii!" **Mayu shouted. **"And then… One day… I saw it. The two of them walking side by side all friendly…"**

Yoshiki mumbled in confusion.

* * *

_**FLASHBACK… SORT OF…**_

_Mayu watched from around the corner as Yoshiki and Morishige walked away from her, not noticing her._

"_**Huh? That's Shige-nii… WHAT?!" **__she shouted. Morishige had his right arm draped over Yoshiki shoulders._

"_**Oy, you're a bit close, aren't you?" **__Yoshiki asked._

"_**I can't help it," **__Morishige replied. __**"I don't have my glasses, so I can't see a damn thing at all. It'd be dangerous for me to walk by myself without them."**_

"_**Doesn't change the fact that you've being this close is creepy and uncomfortably warm!" **__Yoshiki shouted._

"_**Don't worry, I'm more creeped out than you!" **__Morishige retorted. __**"But never mind that. Pay attention to where you're walking!"**_

_Mayu continued to watch in disbelief, not understanding the situation._

"_**What? Why is Kishinuma-kun and Shige-nii holding each other's shoulders?" **__she gasped. __**"No way! Ahhh… I'll pretend I didn't see anything!"**_

* * *

_**BACK IN THE PRESENT…**_

"**Kishinuma-kun and Shige-nii was like 'Ahaha… oh you!' and we're being all lovey-dovey like…" **Mayu said.

'_Oyyyyyy! What kind of freaky shit is she talking about?!' _Yoshiki thought angrily.

Packer had to slap both hands over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud, and Seiko and Ayumi also seemed to be on the verge of losing it.

"**Oh, my God," **Packer said, still trying to hold his laughter in. **"This is just epic…"**

"**There was no denying that those two are together!" **Mayu shouted.

'_Daaaaaaaaaaaa! No freaking way that would ever happen!' _Yoshiki thought, his anger starting to overwhelm his senses.

"**I think the look on Kishinuma's face says in all," **Seiko observed, giggling a little.

"**Yep," **Packer chuckled.

"**Priceless," **Ayumi giggled.

"**You're wrong, Mayu!" **Morishige shouted. **"That's a mistake! There's no way Yoshiki and I are in that kind of relationship! The most important person to me is you, Mayu… more than anyone else in the world!"**

"**Ooh, did Morishige accidentally confess his feelings about Mayu?" **Packer wondered.

Mayu gasped as tears came to her eyes.

"**Shige-nii…" **she cried.

"**So… that's what this was all about," **Sachiko said somberly. **"A terrible tragedy that happened from a freak occurrence."**

"**I'm so sorry… Kishinuma-kun…" **Mayu apologized tearfully.

"**I am Sachiko, the Supernatural Detective," **Sachiko said. **"I've seen many spirits and ghosts wander the earth in my life. But it seems… the scariest things in the world… were living people all along."**

In the meantime, everyone was contemplating the ending to the play.

"**I… I can't be satisfied with this ending…" **Satoshi mumbled.

"**Is it alright… to end like this?" **Naomi wondered.

"**I don't quite understand this…" **Yuka whispered in a confused voice.

"**It was all an entanglement of blind love in the end, huh?" **Ayumi surmised.

"**Indeed," **Packer replied. **"It was certainly funny in some parts, but the ending, depending on who you are, really hits you right in the feels. And the words Sachiko said just then, about people being the scariest things in the world… that statement, unfortunately, couldn't be more true. I've been a Knight of the Covenant for seven years, and I've experienced firsthand how scary and dangerous humankind can be."**

"**Hmmm… I'm not sure about the ending myself…" **Seiko admitted.

Sachiko stood silently for several moments.

'_Why is Sachiko all quiet?' _Yoshiki thought. _'Wait, is she possibly trying to tell us that this is the end? Wait… maybe she's waiting for an applause from the crowd…' _He eyeballed the crowd as best as he could, and he could see the conflicting looks on their faces. _'Everyone is figuring out how to react to this…'_

Just then, Yoshikazu stood up and began clapping enthusiastically, while simultaneously crying his eyes out. It was obvious he thought it was beautiful.

'_The beast in the audience… is applauding while bawling his eyes out,' _Yoshiki thought in disbelief. _'What in the flying blue monkey fuck…?'_

Packer then stood up and also began clapping.

"**I'll admit, that was very entertaining to watch," **Packer said. **"A bit weird in certain spots, but overall, I loved it."**

Then, everybody else began to stand up and clap as well.

"**C-Come on, guys!" **Satoshi said. **"Clap! Give them an applause!"**

"**Y-Yeah," **Naomi agreed. **"Come on, everyone, clap for them!"**

"**Thank you. Thank you, everybody!" **Sachiko beamed.

'_How much longer do I have to stay like this?' _Yoshiki thought. _'Well, we're at the end anyway, so it really shouldn't be much longer…'_

* * *

"_**Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes the play 'Sacchan, the Supernatural Detective'. Please be sure you have all of your belongings with you before you exit the premises. Thank you very much!"**_

With Mayu's narration, the curtains finally close.

"**I'm deeply displeased!" **Naho shouted.

Naho stood up from her audience seat and walks toward the stage, an angry look on her face.

"**Naho…" **Sachiko murmured.

"**This story is far too absurd!" **Naho yelled. **"There are absolute rules when it comes to mystery stories made by greats like Knox and Van Dyne, and yet, not only did you ignore them, but what the heck was that all about?!"**

"**N-Naho-Chan, calm down a little…" **Sayaka replied, but was only met with a death glare by her friend.

"**Keep quiet, Sayaka!" **Naho shouted. Sayaka felt her heart crack a little at Naho's harsh words. Sachiko gazed up at Naho with a smug look on her face.

"**What is it? Are you gonna complain about my acting?" **Sachiko inquired. **"You want to die that badly?"**

At that, Naho got into a fighting pose.

"**Hmph, I've always wanted to finish it off with the likes of you!" **she shouted. **"I'll convict you! Be prepared!"**

Sachiko let a manic laugh escape her diaphragm.

"**You're just an incompetent excuse for a supernatural psychic!" **Sachiko declared.

Everybody stood back to not get trapped in the conflict between Naho and Sachiko.

"**It's gonna be an epic battle of a supernatural psychic versus an evil spirit!" **Ran shouted.

Sachiko laughed as she began to glow a deep purple. Naho growled as she did the same.

"**I'll bitch slap you to Hell for those words!" **Naho roared. But just as the two sides were about to clash…

"_**ICESLASH!"**_

Suddenly, a wall of ice materialized in between the two would-be combatants, preventing any kind of confrontation. Naho and Sachiko looked to where the ice had come from. A trail of the cold element was seen running along the ground, from the ice wall, all the way to the tip of a diamond-bladed sword.

Packer, now decked out in his emerald armor, sighed as he sheathed Shiden.

"**That's enough out of you, Naho," **Packer said, walking up to the stage. Naho growled at the green-haired Knight.

"**Who the hell are you to get involved in my business?!" **she shouted. Packer jumped up to the stage and got directly in Naho's face, surprising the psychic girl.

"**Who am I?" **Packer snapped, eyes crackling with electricity. **"I'm the guy who's trying to save your scrawny ass from this place, that's who!" **Naho gasped at Packer's words. **"Besides, do you **_**really **_**believe you stand a chance against Sachiko, as powerful as she is in this place?" **Naho tilted her head down, her confidence fading as the truth of Packer's words began to sink in. Packer let out a sigh to release the tension. **"Going up against Sachiko at this point will only get yourself killed, so take a chill pill, and relax. You'll live longer, trust me."**

With that, he jumped off the stage and began walking back to his group. Naho let out a sigh of resignation.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"**Glad that's over," **Ran sighed.

"**Well, I guess that wraps up Sachiko's play," **Morishige said.

"**Oh?" **Azusa hummed in confusion. **"I could've sworn that just a little while ago, you said something about not wanting to create anything half-assed or something along those lines."**

"**Once it ends, it's over," **Morishige replied. **"But, I must admit, I'm glad that I got to enjoy the stress and work put into acting for the first time in a while."**

"**Hm… is that so?" **Azusa inquired.

"**Yes, indeed," **Morishige answered.

"**Shige-nii!" **Mayu beamed, running up to him. **"I was so happy to see your acting after such a long time!"**

"**I-Is that so?" **Morishige asked, a small smile appearing on his face.** "Thank you, Mayu."**

"**Huh? Why are you thanking me?" **Mayu asked.

"**I was able to remember the joys of acting thanks to you pushing my back," **Morishige explained. **"If I was just winging it by myself not doing anything, then I would've turned out to be a terrible person. If only I could continue to do acting with Mayu forever…"**

A blush rose to Mayu's cheeks at Morishige's words.

"**Shige-nii…" **she murmured.

The Musashigawa girls let out a cute moan at the scene in front of them.

"**So romantic!" **Nana cooed.

"**I'm so happy for you, Mayu-san!" **Chihaya said with a smile.

"**Geez, you two should just hurry up and go out together already," **Nari laughed.

"**Hey!" **Morishige complained. **"Stop saying weird things! I'm just…"**

"**Pure love," **Azusa giggled.

"**So precious," **Ran cooed.

Morishige crossed his arms and let out annoyed grunt. Mayu giggled in response.

"**Well, I guess that's the end of Sachiko's birthday," **Morishige said. **"Let's get out of this auditorium while she's busy over there."**

"**Yeah," **Mayu agreed.

But just as everyone turned to walk toward the door…

"**Wait, everybody!" **Sachiko called out. Everyone turned back, apprehension on their faces.

"**Eh?" **Mayu grunted.

"**Oh, crap," **Morishige moaned.

Sachiko giggled as she summoned everyone back toward the stage.

"**That play was a lot of fun!" **Sachiko beamed. **"But now, it's time to get down to serious business, because after I get everything set up…" **Sachiko glanced over at Packer. **"…your first Sachiko Challenge is up next, Packer-kun."**

Everyone let out a gasp. It was time to find out if Packer had what it takes to complete Sachiko's challenge. Letting a small smile grace his lips, he nodded at Sachiko.

"**I'm ready," **he declared. Sachiko let out a playful giggle.

"**Alrighty, then!" **she yelled. **"By my decree… let the games begin!"**

What would Sachiko's first challenge be?

* * *

Meanwhile, Yoshiki was still lying down on the floor, still unable to move.

'_For the love of God, how long do I have to stay like this?!' _Yoshiki thought with annoyance as the screen fades to black.


	7. Chapter 7: Battle Royale

DISCLAIMER: CORPSE PARTY AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY TEAM GRISGRIS/GRINDHOUSE. ZENKA IS OWNED BY AXEL THE MOON. TORGUE IS OWNED BY GEARBOX SOFTWARE. _**MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, PACKER, QUACKENBUSH, RUSH, ANGEL, TERRAN, DUSTIN, FLORA, SYN AND TUNDRA ARE OWNED BY ME.**_

**Author's Note: **Man, it's been so damn long since I've uploaded a new chapter to this story, but I finally found the motivation to get it done.

Bear in mind that there will be quite a bit of graphic descriptions, blood and gore in this chapter, so consider this your discretion warning.

* * *

**_CHAPTER 7: BATTLE ROYALE_**

Everyone was now gathered back in the auditorium on the stage, and Packer was now outfitted in his Battle Rig, wondering what challenge that Sachiko was going to present to him.

"**What do you think Sachiko has in store for Packer-kun?" **Ayumi asked.

"**No idea, but I doubt it's anything good," **Satoshi replied.

Sachiko giggled as she sat on Yoshikazu's shoulders, turning her head toward the emerald-clad warrior.

"**All right," **she announced, clapping her hands together. **"Now that everyone's here, I'm gonna present Packer-kun with his first challenge. But first, it's time for a little surprise…"**

She snapped her fingers, and a flash of light blinded everyone for a split second. When the light vanished, Packer gasped as he realized what had just happened. Standing in front of everyone were several members of Packer's outfit, the Knights of the Covenant.

"**What? Why are you bringing my friends into this?" **Packer inquired.

"**Because for the challenge I have for you, you're gonna need all the help you can get," **Sachiko replied. **"So, Packer-kun, would you be so kind as to introduce us to your comrades in arms?"**

The other Knights glanced at Packer in confusion, wondering how they got to where they were. Packer sighed and began introducing each of his fellow Knights. He stepped up to each of them and began naming them off one by one.

"**Very well," **Packer said, walking up to the first of his fellow Knights. He had blue eyes, red hair and a red patch of hair on his chin. He wore purple armor similar to Packer's, with a tornado emblem as a belt buckle. Two daggers were strapped to his belt. **"This is Rush McCloud, a Knight of the Vortex."**

* * *

_**KNIGHT OF THE COVENANT PROFILE**_

_**NAME: **__Rush McCloud_

_**AGE: **__25_

_**HEIGHT: **__6' 3''_

_**COVENANT RANK: **__Knight-Paladin_

_**ELEMENT: **__Wind_

_**MARTIAL ARTS STYLES: **__Karate, Jeet Kune Do_

_**WEAPON: **__Twin Ivory Daggers_

_**KNOWN SPELLS: **__Infernos, Infermore, Infermost, Mach Punch, Air Blade, Hurricane, Windstorm, Tornado, Cyclone, Aeroblast_

_**KNOWN WEAPON TECHNIQUES: **__VacuSlash, Cyclone Slash, Sonic Thrust, Super Sonic Thrust, Hurricane Thrust_

* * *

The next one in line had gold and ebony armor, with a long scarf wrapped around his neck, a sword strapped to his back, and a dragon emblem as his belt buckle. He had spiky blonde hair, green eyes, and a scar across one eye.

"**A member of the Knights of the Heavenly Light and our resident Dragon Knight, Dustin Saint," **Packer continued.

* * *

**_KNIGHT OF THE COVENANT PROFILE_**

**_NAME: _**_Dustin Saint_

**_AGE: _**_15_

**_HEIGHT: _**_5' 6''_

**_COVENANT RANK: _**_Knight-Errant_

**_ELEMENT: _**_Light/Dragon_

_**MARTIAL ARTS STYLES:**__ Jeet Kune Do, Dragon_

**_WEAPON: _**_Dragonsabre, Dragon's Tail_

**_KNOWN SPELLS: _**_Light – First Aid, Blessing, Aurora Punch, Photon, Boot of Justice, Outburst, Moonblast, Judgment, Holy Lance, Hyper Beam_

_Dragon – Dragon Kick, Dragon Punch, Dragonflame, Dragon Spark, Dragonrage, Raging Dragon Kick, Dragon Blast, White Dragon Lightning_

**_KNOWN WEAPON TECHNIQUES: _**_EvilSlash, Shining Slash, Light Spear, Light Spear Cannon, DrakSlash, Meteorain, Dragon Slash_

* * *

The next Knight Packer walked up to had ruby-colored armor on, except it was sleeveless. He was wearing elbow pads and spiked wrist bands. He was tall and muscular, with red sideburns and red hair that was styled into a buzz cut. A fire emblem made up his belt buckle. He was carrying a giant battle axe under his arms.

_**(AN: The battle axe looks like the Nordic Battle Axe from Elder Scrolls: Skyrim.)**_

"**A Knight of the Flame, John Quackenbush," **Packer said.

* * *

**_KNIGHT OF THE COVENANT PROFILE_**

**_NAME: _**_John Quackenbush_

**_AGE: _**_27_

**_HEIGHT: _**_6' 3''_

**_COVENANT RANK: _**_Knight-Errant_

**_ELEMENT: _**_Fire_

**_MARTIAL ARTS STYLES: _**_Kickboxing, Muay Thai_

**_WEAPON: _**_Nanbanfu Battleaxe_

**_KNOWN SPELLS: _**_Blaze, Fireball, Eruption, Pyro Punch, Spiral Flare, Fire Charge, Lava Punch, Flame Lance, Explodet_

**_KNOWN WEAPON TECHNIQUES:_**_ Arc Slash, Earth Splitter, FireSlash, Super FireSlash_

* * *

The next Knight in line had short blue hair, icy blue eyes and was wearing sapphire-colored armor, with what appeared to be a katana strapped to his back. A snowflake emblem made up the belt buckle he wore.

"**A Knight of the Frost, Tundra," **Packer introduced.

* * *

**_KNIGHT OF THE COVENANT PROFILE_**

**_NAME: _**_Tundra_

**_AGE: _**_20_

**_HEIGHT: _**_5' 7''_

**_COVENANT RANK: _**_Knight_

**_ELEMENT: _**_Ice_

**_MARTIAL ARTS STYLES: _**_Ninjitsu, Aikido_

**_WEAPON: _**_Ice Katana_

**_KNOWN SPELLS: _**_Crackle, Ice Blast, Ice Spreader, Ice Beam, Super Ice Beam, Blizzard, Absolute Zero_

**_KNOWN WEAPON TECHNIQUES: _**_IceSlash, Spinning IceSlash, Super IceSlash, Frozen Fissure_

* * *

The Knight next to Tundra was wearing similar armor, except it was brown in color, much like his skin, hair and chocolate-colored eyes. A giant hammer was resting on his shoulder, a blade-like projectile was strapped to his belt, and his belt buckle resembled that of a mountain.

Next to him was a young girl with deep brown hair and green eyes. She wore armor similar to the other Knights, molded for her body type. She carried a bow in her hand, with a quiver of arrows strapped to her back. What appeared to be a whip made of a vine was strapped to her belt, and her belt buckle resembled that of a flower.

"**These two represent the Knights of the Earth, Terran Green and Flora Daniels," **Packer said.

* * *

**_KNIGHT OF THE COVENANT PROFILE_**

**_NAME: _**_Terran Green_

**_AGE: _**_19_

**_HEIGHT: _**_5' 11''_

**_COVENANT RANK: _**_Knight_

**_ELEMENT: _**_Earth_

**_MARTIAL ARTS STYLES: _**_Wrestling, Boxing_

**_WEAPON: _**_Quake Hammer, Razor Wind_

**_KNOWN SPELLS: _**_Stalagmite, Acid Blast, Rock Tomb, Rolling Boulder, Boulder Toss, Boulder Slam, Quake, Fissure, Earthquake_

**_KNOWN WEAPON TECHNIQUES: _**_Quake Smash, Shockwave, Z Slash, Grinder, Slice 'n' Dice_

* * *

_**KNIGHT OF THE COVENANT PROFILE**_

_**NAME: **__Flora Daniels_

_**AGE: **__24_

_**HEIGHT: **__4' 11_

_**COVENANT RANK: **__Knight_

_**ELEMENT: **__Earth_

_**MARTIAL ARTS STYLES: **__Kickboxing_

_**WEAPON: **__Tek Bow, Vine Whip_

_**KNOWN SPELLS: **__Acid Blast, Spore, Earthquake, Solarblast_

_**KNOWN WEAPON TECHNIQUES: **__Arrow Storm, Whiplash_

* * *

Next to Flora was another female Knight, only this one looked like she was made of pure ivory. She had bleached-blonde hair and ivory eyes. She held a staff in her hands, and her belt buckle resembled that of the sun.

"**Another member of the Knights of the Heavenly Light, and our resident Healer, Angel Quackenbush, John's wife," **Packer said.

* * *

**_KNIGHT OF THE COVENANT PROFILE_**

**_NAME: _**_Angel Quackenbush_

**_AGE: _**_22_

**_HEIGHT: _**_5' 1''_

**_COVENANT RANK: _**_Healer_

**_ELEMENT: _**_Light_

**_MARTIAL ARTS STYLES: _**_Karate_

**_WEAPON: _**_Angel Staff_

**_KNOWN SPELLS: _**_First Aid, Healing Circle, Revitalize, Detox, Holy Aura_

**_KNOWN WEAPON TECHNIQUES: _**_Angel Spark, Plasma Shot_

* * *

Next to Angel was a Knight with long black hair tied in a ponytail, a beard and a mustache. He was wearing jet-black armor, and like Tundra, had a katana strapped to his back. His belt buckle resembled that of a lightning bolt.

"**A Knight of the Storm, Zenka Shinojin," **Packer introduced.

* * *

_**KNIGHT OF THE COVENANT PROFILE**_

_**NAME: **__Zenka Shinojin_

_**AGE: **__17_

_**HEIGHT: **__6' 2''_

_**COVENANT RANK: **__Knight-Errant_

_**ELEMENT: **__Lightning_

_**MARTIAL ARTS STYLES: **__Jujitsu, Long Fist_

_**WEAPON: **__Zangetsu_

_**KNOWN SPELLS: **__Thunderbolt, Lightning Bolt, Lightning Blast, Thunder Blade, Thunder Rage, Lightning Nuke_

_**KNOWN WEAPON TECHNIQUES: **__BoltSlash, Super BoltSlash, Lightning Blade, Super Lightning Blade_

* * *

And finally, standing next to Zenka was a female Knight, wearing armor that had a mix of black and red. She had long black hair with tints of red in it, and looked of Chinese decent. She was carrying a death scythe in her hands, and her belt buckle resembled a skull and crossbones. All of the Knights had the sapphire shield emblem of the Covenant on their chest, near their neck.

"**Last, but not least, a Knight of the Darkness, Syn," **Packer finished.

* * *

_**KNIGHT OF THE COVENANT PROFILE**_

_**NAME: **__Syn_

_**AGE: **__23_

_**HEIGHT: **__5' 1''_

_**COVENANT RANK: **__Knight-Paladin_

_**ELEMENT: **__Dark/Chaos_

_**MARTIAL ARTS STYLES: **__Tai Chi, Tiger Fist_

_**WEAPON: **__Death Scythe_

_**KNOWN SPELLS: **__Demon Summon, Devil Summon, Dark Beam, Hand of Hell, Malice Beam, Chaos Blast, Skull Fireball, Dark Portal, Telekinesis, Chaos Bomb_

_**KNOWN WEAPON TECHNIQUES: **__Scythe Slash, Tele-Chopper, Somersault Slash, Death Slash, Malice Slash_

* * *

Sachiko clapped her hands together in glee.

"**Ten Knights altogether," **she shouted happily. **"This should make for a fun challenge."**

"**Packer, what the hell is going on here? Why are we here?" **Quackenbush asked.

"**Welcome to Heavenly Host, you guys," **Packer replied. Rush arched an eyebrow.

"**Your mission?" **he inquired.

"**Yep, and it's a little different than I was expecting," **Packer explained.

"**What's our role in this?" **Syn asked.

"**I'm celebrating my birthday today," **Sachiko retorted. **"But in addition to that, Packer-kun made a challenge to me. If he completes five challenges I lay out for him, then I will let everybody that you see here go free. But if he fails even once, then everyone must stay… forever."**

"**Yep, that sounds like Packer, alright," **Dustin joked.

"**So, what's my first challenge?" **Packer asked.

"**Your first challenge… is the Battle Royale," **Sachiko replied. **"You and your fellow Knights will be doing battle right here in this auditorium, against various monsters of my choosing. Your objective is simple in theory: Stay alive and kill everything that moves."**

"**Seems simple enough," **Rush remarked.

"**Ah, but it won't be that simple," **Sachiko retorted as she snapped her fingers. The auditorium was suddenly surrounded by two red force fields, one surrounding the center of the auditorium and one shielding everyone on the stage. She snapped her fingers again, and the space in between the two barriers was suddenly filled with monsters. Zombies were on of the monster groups Sachiko had chosen, and were the most common monster they would have to face in this battle. Reanimated corpses of the deceased, these savage beasts would stop at nothing to obtain its singular goal: human flesh.

In another corner of the arena was a group of monsters known as youma. Angel had to turn her head in disgust, for the youma were the most hideous creatures she had ever seen, even in her career as a Knight of the Covenant. Flying on leathery wings, with lizard-like tails and scales ranging in color from a sickly green to an ugly brown, their feet and hands twisted into three- and four-fingered claws, they attacked everything and everyone that came near, blasting the area with large spheres of black energy. Fortunately, they couldn't penetrate the force field holding them.

"**That's… a lot of monsters," **Tundra observed.

"**Yep, and you've got to kill them all," **Sachiko added. **"And considering how powerful all ten of you are, I'd like to see some stylish kills from all of you. Think you can do that?"**

"**Do we have a choice?" **Terran asked.

"**No, not really," **Sachiko replied. Packer sighed.

"**Well, if that's the name of the game, then let's play," **Packer said. **"All right, Sachiko. Release the hounds."**

"**As you wish," **Sachiko said before snapping her fingers, causing the inner force field to vanish, releasing the monsters into the auditorium. Packer looked over at his fellow Knights.

**_(Like A Glint of Light from Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World begins playing in the background)_**

"**It's time to kick ass," **Packer said. The other Knights nodded, and together, they charged for the force field, passing through it and into the arena. The monsters quickly took notice and began either lumbering or flying toward the Knights.

On the stage, Seiko watched the battle unfold with worried eyes.

"**You think they'll be alright?" **Seiko asked worriedly. Suddenly, as if to answer her question, the severed head of a youma smashed into the force field in a bloody mess. Yoshiki walked up beside her, a confident look on his face.

"**Yeah, I think they'll be fine," **he replied. **"From what I'm seeing, they live for this kind of thing."**

Seiko nodded before turning her head back toward the battle taking place in front of her.

* * *

Unsheathing his Ice Katana, Tundra ran at a group of monsters, taking down several of them with a few well-placed slashes, slicing through his opponents like butter. He quickly powered up a spell and aimed it at another group of the vile creatures.

"**_ICE BEAM!"_**

A blue beam shot out of his outstretched hand, freezing several of his opponents in ice.

"**_ICESLASH!"_**

Swinging his katana around, he shattered each of their heads in one slice, their blood splattering everywhere.

Hearing a screech behind him, he turned to see a youma rushing at him, claws outstretched. Thinking fast, he used his powers to slide into the youma, sending it tumbling into the air. He quickly powered up another Ice spell and used it to instantly turn the youma into ice, shattering its body and encasing its head in a block of ice.

After watching Tundra dispatch several more zombies, another youma turned its attention toward him. It powered up a black sphere of energy and launched it at the ice warrior. Sensing the attack, Tundra dodged the energy blast and came back with one of his own.

"**_ICE BLAST!"_**

The ice ball struck the youma and froze it solid. Tundra powered up a second Ice Blast and launched it at the frozen youma. It struck its upper torso, shattering it into pieces, a geyser of blood spitting out of the frozen lower torso.

Three more youma approached Tundra. They began swiping at him with their claws, but Tundra parried each one with his sword. Thinking fast, he powered up another spell and aimed at the ground.

"**_ICE SPREADER!"_**

The blast hit the ground and formed a wall of ice between himself and the three youma. As the youma hesitated, Tundra stood back as Terran suddenly jumped in from out of nowhere and smashed the ice wall with his Quake Hammer, causing fragments of the wall to impale the creatures, causing them to scream in pain as the ice shards pierced their upper body and face, killing them.

"**Thanks, Terran," **Tundra said. Terran saluted his teammate.

"**Anytime, Ice-bro," **Terran replied, jumping away to attack another group of monsters.

Spinning around, Tundra took out another group of zombies with his katana, before stabbing another youma in the chest with his katana. Switching to a dagger-like position, he stabbed the youma multiple times in the chest before imbedding the sword in his opponent's head, killing it instantly.

Forming jagged ice on his knuckles, he intercepted another youma before it could attack him and delivered a series of devastating punches to the youma's chest and face, each punch to the face resulting in a shower of blood. After winding up for one last shot, Tundra saw the youma was dead on its feet and simply pushed it down with his finger, before turning and extracting his katana from the dead youma it was buried in. Turning around, he stabbed another youma in the chest with the sword, only this time, he wrenched upward, slicing the youma's upper body in half in a shower of blood.

"**Feel death's cold touch, foul demons," **Tundra said.

* * *

Taking a defensive stance, Angel held her staff in front of her as several zombies approached. Swinging the staff, she connected with each of their heads before spinning around and delivering a back roundhouse kick, connecting with every zombie head and knocking them to the ground.

Suddenly, she heard a screeching noise behind her. Turning around, she could see a youma approaching her quickly. As the youma swiped at her with its claws, Angel ducked underneath by dropping to her knees. With lightning reflexes, she set her staff on her legs, gathered light energy into both hands, and thrust upward in an upward double axe handle, striking the youma in the crotch and popping its eyes out of its head in a shower of blood. Screaming in agony, it fell back onto the hardwood floor, where its motions finally stopped.

Still kneeling, she noticed a pack of zombies closing in on her. Enveloping herself in light, she rolled across the floor at breakneck speed, separating the legs from the zombies' bodies in a shower of congealed blood. Leaping back to her feet, she powered up one of her healing spells and aimed it at the zombies.

"**_HEALING CIRCLE!"_**

Suddenly, a ball of light appeared over the zombies. It formed a circle of light around them, and they howled as the holy light burned through them, reducing them to a smoldering ash.

Another youma attacked Angel with its claws, but Angel parried each attack with her staff. Thinking fast, she swung the staff around, catching the youma in the head and spinning it around so that she was facing its back. She was quick to power up a spell from her staff.

"**_ANGEL SPARK!"_**

Suddenly, a ball of light erupted from the staff's head, completely going through the youma's head, leaving a gaping hole where its face once was. It fell to its knees and then face first onto the floor, dead.

As another youma attacked her, Angel was quick to go into the splits, and much like she did before, gathered light energy into her fist and drove it upward into the youma's privates. This time, the force of the blow caused the creature's head to separate from its body, crimson flowing from its neck like a geyser before falling over.

Angel parried several attacks from another youma, before countering with a front roundhouse, followed by a back roundhouse, staggering the ugly brute. Not wasting any time, she was quick to power up another Light spell.

"**_REVITALIZE!"_**

Normally meant as a healing spell, against youmas, it served as a brutal attack that burned through their flesh, including the one that was unfortunate enough to be caught in the showering light's grasp. There was nothing left of its body but fine ash.

After dispatching several more zombies with her staff, she caught the attention of another youma, who came flying at her. It took a swipe at her, but she dodged underneath it. Waiting for it to land, she charged at the beast, striking it in the chest with her staff before nailing it with a Light charged uppercut, decapitating her foe.

Two more youma came charging at her, launching dark energy blasts at her. Repelling the attacks with her staff, she was quick to charge it up and launch its most powerful spell.

"**_PLASMA SHOT!"_**

The first shot blew a hole in the first youma's stomach, killing it. The second shot found its mark on the second youma's left arm, blowing it off. As it screeched in pain, Angel took aim and was on target as her third shot struck the youma's head, completely destroying it and killing the youma instantly. Angel sighed as she brushed herself off.

"**Man, this is more fighting than I've seen in a long time. Hope it doesn't ruin my complexion," **Angel remarked.

* * *

Using his mastery at Jujitsu and Long Fist combined with his electric powers, Zenka was making short work of large groups of zombies. From his roundhouse kicks and punches to his powerful Lightning Blast, hordes of the undead were falling at his hand. This, consequently, caught the attention of several youma, who were quick to engage him in battle.

Sensing them approaching, Zenka turned toward them just as one of them commenced their attack, swiping at him with its claws. Blocking its attacks, Zenka unleashed a volley of his own, landing several punches on the youma's face. The last punch spun the youma around, during which Zenka grabbed it by the shoulders and slammed it down to the ground. Following through, he viciously stomped on the youma's face, crushing its skull.

Quickly turning toward the other youma, he quickly unsheathed Zangetsu and stabbed the youma in the chest before wrenching the sword upward, slicing the youma in half from the waist up. Not stopping his attack, he was quick to power up a Lightning spell.

"_**RAIHA! (**__**THUNDER BLADE!)"**_

Suddenly, a sword made of pure lightning came crashing down from the sky and sprayed its electric influence outward like a grenade, electrocuting several more youma and zombies in the process. Fast like the element he specializes in, Zenka used Zangetsu to slice through several zombies, severing their bodies in a diagonal formation.

As a flying youma tried to attack him, Zenka used his lightning powers to propel himself skyward in a powerful attack.

Borutosurasshu

_**"BORUTOSURASSHU! (BOLTSLASH!)"**_

Imbuing Zangetsu with lightning, Zenka sliced through the youma like a hot knife through butter, causing both halves to spin away from each other in a crimson mess. Not stopping his attack, Zenka powered up another spell.

"_**KAMINARI NO IKARI! (**__**THUNDER RAGE!)"**_

This time, multiple lightning bolts came raining down, striking several zombies as well as youma and electrifying them, killing them instantly.

Spinning around, Zenka struck another youma in the face with a roundhouse kick, stunning it momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Zenka grabbed it by the neck and lifted it up into the air, summoning his powers once again.

"_**INAZUMA! (**__**LIGHTNING BOLT!)"**_

As the lightning coursed through the youma, the charge was so powerful that it ended up exploding the youma's head, ending its life. Throwing the body onto the ground, he quickly powered up another spell and aimed it at another approaching youma.

"_**KAMINARI BURASUTO! (**__**LIGHTNING BLAST!)"**_

The lightning sprayed from his hands in a cone-like pattern, slicing through the youma and sending his upper half far away from his lower half.

As another youma came at him, Zenka swung his sword around, catching the youma in the neck and decapitating him. As the youma's head flew upward, Zenka sliced through the youma's upper body twice with Zangetsu, before the head came back down and crashed into the body, causing it to split open like a flower.

Turning to see a large group of youma rushing at him, Zenka gathered all of his power into one, massive blast.

"_**KAMINARI KAKUHEIKI! (**__**LIGHTNING NUKE!)"**_

Suddenly, a massive bolt of lightning struck down where the group of youma were. They screamed as the lightning detonate in one massive, electric blast, leaving behind a miniature mushroom cloud and the various parts of all the youma. Zenka ran a hand through his hair as he surveyed the battlefield.

"**Now that's how you deep fry a monster," **Zenka quipped.

* * *

Taking a defensive stance, Rush prepared himself for the group of monsters looking to intercept him. He connected with three devastating punches on a zombie, knocking it down, before striking another zed in the chest with a mid-right kick, followed by a side high kick, striking the zombie underneath the chin and snapping its neck. He blocked several incoming slashes from a youma before hitting back with several straight punches to the chest, followed by an uppercut, staggering the youma momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Rush quickly powered up a Wind spell.

"_**INFERNOS!"**_

Spinning around like a tornado, he created a column of wind that carried the youma into the air and separated its limbs from its body.

As another youma rushed in to attack, Rush blocked its swipe before wrapping his right leg around the youma's neck. He spun around and delivered a powerful jumping roundhouse kick that separated the youma's head from its body.

Hearing a screech, he turned to see a large group of youma coming towards him. He glanced off to the side and saw Quackenbush fighting off a group of zombies with his battle axe.

"**Hey, Quack! Time for a firenado!" **he called out. Quackenbush turned to him and noticed the group of youma, nodding in affirmation.

"**Roger that, McCloud! Let's do it!" **Quackenbush replied. Rush nodded and quickly powered up another Wind spell.

"_**TORNADO!"**_

Suddenly, a large tornado materialized on top of the youma, carrying them into its vortex. Looking to finish the combo, Quackenbush powered up a Fire spell of his own.

"_**FIREBALL!"**_

A ball of flame erupted from Quackenbush's hands and struck the tornado, instantly turning it into a firenado. The youma inside screamed in their death throes as they were incinerated.

Turning toward the next group of creatures, Rush grabbed his twin ivory daggers, slicing through several zombies with ease. He jumped onto a youma and sliced through its neck with both blades, sending its head spinning away from its body. Seeing a flying youma coming at him, Rush leaped off the headless youma's body and sliced the flying youma in half with his daggers, both halves crashing to the ground with a sickening splash. Still in mid-air, he zeroed in on a youma on the ground as he powered up another spell.

"_**MACH PUNCH!"**_

Using the power of Wind, he propelled himself toward the youma at breakneck speed, punching through the youma with such force that the entire upper body disintegrated into nothing but bloody pulps. The lower half collapsed to the ground.

Twirling his daggers, Rush ran at another youma, jumping off its chest and into the air. As the youma looked up to find him, Rush stabbed it in the neck with one of his daggers. Landing on his feet and extracting the dagger, he impaled the youma in the back of the neck with it, ending its existence.

Extracting the dagger, he suddenly turned and tossed it at another youma, impaling it in the head. As the youma staggered dead on its feet, Rush ran over, extracted the blade, and proceed to stab another youma demon several times in the chest before bringing his ivory blade crashing down onto its skull, killing it.

Another youma tried to get the drop on Rush as it came down from the sky, but Rush managed to roll out of the way in time as it struck the ground where he was. Raising his daggers, he quickly powered up another Wind spell and ran at the vile creature.

"_**SUPER SONIC THRUST!"**_

Using the power of Wind to increase his speed, Rush impaled the monster over a dozen times before finally letting it fall to the ground, crimson seeping through all the holes in its body.

Not stopping his attack, Rush turned and launched one of his ivory daggers at yet another youma, impaling it in the neck. As the youma struggled for air, Rush flipped his other dagger to where he was pinching the tip and launched it at the youma, striking it in the face, ceasing its movements as it fell back on its back, death's grip taking hold of it.

"**That's what happens when you don't head a tornado warning," **Rush quipped.

* * *

Terran smiled as he twirled his Quake Hammer, eyeing a group of monsters not far from him.

"**Let's rock!" **he roared. Running at the creatures, he brought his hammer down on one zombie's head, shattering it. Not stopping there, he swung the hammer like a bat and struck another zombie in the chest, sending it flying backwards into another group of zed, knocking them all down.

Hearing a youma screech behind him, Terran quickly powered up an Earth spell.

"_**STALAGMITE!"**_

Just before the youma could reach him, three stalagmites burst from the ground and impaled the youma in the back and head. As it twitched in its death throes, Terran brought his hammer down on its head, eviscerating it.

Taking out his Razor Wind projectile, he tossed it at another group of enemies, decapitating several zombies as well as youma. Not stopping there, he quickly powered up another spell.

"_**ACID BLAST!"**_

Holding out his hand, Terran sprayed another group of youma with a highly corrosive acid. They screamed as they were literally melted into nothing but a puddle.

Suddenly, a flying youma tried to attack Terran, but unfortunately for the youma, the Earth Knight saw him coming. He leaped into the air and caught the youma out of its flight, bringing it down on his knee in a devastating backbreaker maneuver, snapping its spine.

Noticing a large group of youma quickly approaching, Terran used his powers to form stone shoes on their feet, locking them to the ground. With his adversaries immobilized, he quickly powered up another spell.

"_**ROCK TOMB!"**_

Suddenly, two giant stone walls burst out of the ground on both sides of the youma group. With his Earth powers, Terran slowly cause the stone slabs to close on each other, the youma panicking as they tried to escape to no avail. Finally, Terran clapped his hands together, and the stone slabs smashed into each other, crushing the youma into a fine crimson liquid.

Meanwhile, his Razor Wind continued to fly around the battlefield, cutting down zeds and youma demons alike. Locating his rapidly moving projectile, Terran gave it a command.

"_**Z SLASH!"**_

Suddenly, the bladed weapon sliced through a youma in a z pattern, turning the youma into three separate parts.

"_**GRINDER!"**_

Terran issued another command, and the Razor Wind buried itself in another youma's head, slicing it in half. Its work complete, it flew back toward Terran, where he caught it and reattached it to his belt.

Tightening his grip on his Quake Hammer, Terran could see several more youma trying to surround him, knowing that they wouldn't be able to take him on singlehandedly. Grinning to himself, Terran powered up his hammer and launched himself into the air.

"_**SHOCKWAVE!"**_

Coming back down, he slammed the Quake Hammer against the floor, causing a shockwave to erupt all around him. The unfortunate youma were caught in its wake, and all of their legs were disintegrated by the incredible blast.

Knocking several zeds aside with his hammer, Terran jumped into the air, connecting with several kicks on a youma's head before bringing his foot down forcefully, crushing the youma's head as it impacted the ground underneath Terran's boot. Following up the attack, Terran powered up another Earth spell.

"_**BOULDER TOSS!"**_

Suddenly, a small boulder appeared in his hand, and he quickly tossed it like a baseball at another attacking youma. The stone struck the youma in the head, separating it from its body. It collapsed to its knees, the boulder remaining in place where its head used to be.

As another youma attack with its sharp claws, Terran blocked the attack and countered with a punch to the face.

"_**QUAKE!"**_

He followed up with a quickly-powered spell that shook the earth at the youma's feet, snapping one of its legs and causing it to fall to the ground, clutching its leg in pain. Finishing the deadly combo, Terran launched a Stalagmite spell that impaled the youma in the back of the head. Not stopping, he brought his Quake Hammer down on another youma, smashing through its upper body and separating its head from the torso in a bloody mess.

Suddenly, he was struck in the chest by a black energy ball, staggering him back. Glancing up, he noticed another winged youma launching energy blasts at him. Growling, he summoned another boulder and launched it at the youma, catching it in the chest. Leaping into the air, Terran grabbed the youma by the arms and threw it down on the ground, where it was impaled by a stalagmite that Terran had summoned while he was jumping.

Landing back on his feet, Terran noticed a particularly large group of zombies and youma converging on his position. Smiling to himself, he turned to see Packer fighting off several zombies with his various powers.

"**Hey, Packerman! It's time to light the fireworks!" **he shouted. Packer turned to him and nodded.

"**Whenever you're ready," **Packer replied. Putting his hammer away, Terran focused his powers once more. A large boulder appeared in his hands.

"_**ROLLING BOULDER!"**_

With incredible strength, Terran launched the boulder at the large monster force like a bowling ball. As it sped toward its target, Packer quickly powered up a Fire spell.

"_**SACRED FIRE!"**_

A large fireball erupted from Packer's outstretched hands. It sped toward the boulder and struck it, igniting it. Leaving a trail of flame behind it, it reached the group of monsters and exploded, taking the entire group with it in a brilliant display of fire and stone fragments. Blood and bits of youma and zed rained down onto the battlefield as Terran dusted himself off.

"**Yeah, that's right! Tremble like the Earth!" **Terran roared.

* * *

Syn smirked in amusement as a youma screamed at her.

"**Don't think because I'm a girl doesn't mean that I can't kick your ass," **Syn said. Emphasizing her point, she quickly attacked the youma, launching a right punch followed by a knee strike to the gut. As the youma doubled over, Syn nailed it with an uppercut, staggering it backward. She hit two high kicks to the face before finishing the combo by tackling the beast and pummeling its face in with Dark-enhanced punches. A massive hole remained where its face used to be.

Grabbing her death scythe, Syn used her Telekinesis to forcefully expel a youma's skeleton from its body before spinning around and slicing through another youma's legs. Thinking fast, she quickly powered up a Dark spell.

"_**DEMON SUMMON!"**_

Suddenly, a demon with a scythe of its own appeared in front of a youma. It buried its scythe in the youma's chest and wrenched upward, slicing it in half vertically from the waist up.

"_**DEVIL SUMMON!"**_

Syn used her summon powers again, this time causing a fiery demon to appear from the ground and grabbed a youma by the waist. As the youma struggled to free itself, the demon exploded, leaving nothing behind except the youma's severed head.

Expertly twirling her scythe around her, Syn began carving through hordes of zombies like they were made of rice paper. As a youma tried to attack her from behind, Syn powered up another spell.

"_**DARK PORTAL!"**_

Suddenly, a portal opened beneath her and she fell through it. The youma stopped, wondering what happened. It was the last thought to go through its head before it exploded by way of a Dark-powered dropkick from Syn. The headless body collapsed to the ground as Syn focused her powers again.

"_**DARK BEAM!"**_

Holding out her hand, she unleashed a powerful blast that blew a gaping hole in the chest of another youma demon. Pressing the attack, Syn used another Dark spell.

"_**HAND OF HELL!"**_

Suddenly, a skeleton hand came crashing down on another youma, crushing it underneath. Syn continued her attack by slicing through several more youma with her death scythe, slicing them in half at the waist.

"_**MALICE BEAM!"**_

Syn raised her hand and blasted a powerful red beam at another youma, striking it in the lower body and blasting it apart in a crimson mass. Running at another youma, she quickly powered up a different kind of spell.

"_**CHAOS BLAST!"**_

She hit the youma with a jump kick, and followed up with a devastating blast of green energy that blew the skin off the youma's torso. Using her Chaos powers, she grabbed two more youma in its powerful hold. Turning them both over, she drove one into the ground, like a telekinetic piledriver, destroying its head, while she used her Chaos abilities to tear the other youma in half.

"_**SKULL FIREBALL!"**_

An attack fused with the powers of Dark and Chaos, Syn launched the energy-fueled skull at a youma demon, where it physically transplanted itself where its head was, blowing it to smithereens.

Smiling to herself, Syn turned toward a group of youma, who began cowering as they noticed that she was gazing in their direction. As they turned to flee, Syn powered up one last attack.

"_**CHAOS BOMB!"**_

Launching a green energy ball at the youma, it detonated on top of them, destroying them all in a green, bloody mess. Syn twirled her scythe and smiled at her handiwork.

"**How's it feel to get your ass kicked by a girl?" **Syn quipped.

* * *

Flora ran across the auditorium and dropkicked a zombie right into several of its compatriots, before powering up an Earth spell.

"_**ACID BLAST!"**_

A large spray of acid was expelled from her hands, melting the group of zombies as they moaned from the pain, leaving nothing but a pile of green goop behind.

Turning her attention to a youma as it tried to attack her, Flora countered with a mid-kick to the chest followed by a right high kick, catching the youma in the face. As it staggered back, Flora followed up with two spinning back fists before going into a handstand, grabbing the youma with her legs, and throwing it over her at an odd angle, causing it to land on its neck, snapping it.

As another youma closed in, Flora took out her Vine Whip and wrapped it around her opponent's neck, before flipping over it and pulling the vine taunt, causing it to tear through the youma's neck and decapitating it. Not stopping, she ran at a zombie and jumped at, grabbing it by the head and slamming it to the ground, also decapitating it.

As a group of zed surrounded her, Flora quickly powered up another Earth spell.

"_**EARTHQUAKE!"**_

Flora slammed her fist into the ground, causing a massive shockwave that destroyed the zombies' legs around her, allowing her to easily finish them off one at a time.

Sensing another youma attacking from behind, Flora spun around and extended her whip outward, its sharp point stabbing through the youma's chest twice before stabbing it in the face, leaving a sizable hole behind as the now dead creature collapsed to the ground.

As a flying youma tried to get the drop on her, Flora leaped into the air and grabbed onto it. She placed her feet against the youma and pushed it toward the ground with such force that when it slammed the ground, it's upper body disintegrated, leaving behind just the lower body, head and arms.

As two more youma approached, Flora powered up another Acid Blast and sprayed both of them in the face, melting their skin off as they screamed in pain. Eventually, one of collapsed to the ground, never to move again, while Flora ran up and forcefully pulled the other's skull apart, killing it instantly.

Putting away her whip and grabbing her Tek Bow, she grabbed an arrow, took aim at a youma, and fired. The arrow nailed the youma in the chest, forcefully removing its heart through its back. As another youma tried to attack, Flora leaped off of its head and launched another arrow at another youma, striking it in the head. Turning around, she powered up another spell and aimed it at the youma she jumped off of.

"_**SPORE!"**_

A cloud of yellow dust enveloped the youma's face, causing it to grab its eyes in pain. Seizing the opportunity, Flora swung her bow like a baseball bat, striking the youma in the head and causing it to spin at an unnatural angle, snapping its neck and ending its life.

Not stopping her attack, she went into a side somersault, bringing her legs down onto another youma, crushing its head. Finishing her combo, she backflip-kicked another youma demon, separating its head from its body. When she landed, she extracted three arrows from her quiver and fired them at the head, all three finding their mark. The head landed on the ground, the arrows sticking through its eyes and mouth.

"**Thanks, you guys. I really needed the target practice," **Flora laughed.

* * *

Dustin danced around as he prepared to begin his attack. As a youma approached him, he responded with a kick to the knee, followed by a clubbing blow to the back as he powered up an attack.

"_**DRAGON KICK!"**_

Suddenly, his body glowed gold as he launched a backflip kick that connected with the youma's head, decapitating it instantly. Continuing his devastating attack, he quickly powered up another Dragon spell.

"_**DRAGON PUNCH!"**_

His fist blazed with fire as he ran at another youma and delivered a devastating leaping uppercut, also separating its head from its body. As he targeted another youma demon, he unsheathed his Dragonsabre and sliced one of its arms off, while he used his Dragon Whip to sever the other arm, and finished the attack by slicing through the youma's neck with the Dragonsabre.

Putting his sword away for the moment, Dustin ran at another youma, and with his Dragon power activated, he speared the youma in the chest, separating its torso from the lower half. Turning toward another youma, he hit it in the face with a right palm strike, followed by a left hook and finishing with a split-legged jumping back roundhouse, decapitating yet another youma. He let out a small chuckle.

"**Guess I'm just a youma head hunter today," **he quipped.

Suddenly, several black energy balls struck the ground near him. He turned and saw two more youmas fast approaching him, launching energy blasts at him. Dodging the blasts, he glowed with light once again as he ran at them.

"_**BOOT OF JUSTICE!"**_

He launched a shadow version of himself at one of the youma. It struck the demon in the chest with a devastating kick, splitting the youma in half at the waist. The other youma stopped its attack momentarily as it tried to shake off the shock of seeing its compatriot eviscerated in front of it. Taking advantage, Dustin powered up another Dragon spell.

"_**RAGING DRAGON KICK!"**_

Suddenly, his body began to glow a hostile red, and he launched into a much more powerful version of his Dragon Kick. This time, the force of the impact completely destroyed the youma's torso and sent its head flying high into the sky, eventually landing on the ground with a sickening thud.

Extracting his Dragonsabre, he launched it at the ground near another youma. It struck the hardwood floor, causing the youma to stare at it in confusion. Suddenly, it launched itself into the air, slicing the youma in half in a shower of blood. Flipping in the air, in landed back in Dustin's sheath.

Blocking an incoming strike from a youma, Dustin delivered several knee strikes before flipping over it and snapping its arm, causing it to cry out in pain. Suddenly, Dustin's Dragon Whip extended out from his wrist band, and he whipped it into the youma's legs, severing them. As the youma squirmed in pain, Dustin put it out of its misery with a vicious stomp to the head.

As he carved through a group of zombies with the Dragon Whip, Dustin turned his attention to another youma. Powering up his Dragon Punch, his fist found its mark in the youma's chest, putting a sizable hole in it. Not stopping there, he extended his Dragon Whip and sliced the youma's legs off.

As another youma demon came in for an attack, Dustin quickly spun around and delivered a spinning back fist version of the Dragon Punch, causing the youma's body to split in half at the torso. Noticing another youma approaching, he quickly powered up another spell.

"_**DRAGONFLAME!"**_

He pointed his hands at the youma, and fire began spewing forth from them, like a flamethrower, quickly burning through the youma, reducing it to ash.

Hearing a loud screech behind him, Dustin turned and noticed a large group of the youma coming at him. Smiling to himself, he powered up one last attack.

"_**DRAGON BLAST!"**_

A large ball of fire and light appeared in his hands. Aiming at the youma, he launched the fireball at them. Before they could even react, the fireball exploded, taking the entire group with it. Dustin ran a hand through his spiky blonde hair and scoffed.

"**That's what happens when you try to screw with a Dragon Knight!" **he yelled.

* * *

Pumped up and ready for battle, Quackenbush instantly lit his fist on fire and brought it down on a zombie in a superman punch, exploding its upper body. Grabbing another zed by the neck, he hit it with several fire-fisted punches, with the last one destroying the zombie's head and sending its body flying backwards. Noticing a flying youma coming at him with an energy ball at the ready, Quackenbush quickly powered up a Fire spell.

"_**EXPLODET!"**_

He launched a star-like projectile at the flying youma, striking it in the chest and exploding in an awesome display of fire and light, completely eviscerating the youma. Keeping the fire lit, he launched another Fire spell.

"_**SPIRAL FLARE!"**_

Launching a column of flame, it struck another youma in the chest, leaving a sizable hole as it collapsed to the ground, dead. Turning around, Quackenbush launched another Spiral Flare, destroying the legs of several zombies.

As a youma tried to attack him, he blocked its swipe attack before coming back with several punches of his own, followed by a knee to the gut and finishing with another Spiral Flare, leaving a crater in the youma's chest.

Spinning around toward another youma, Quackenbush quickly powered up another spell.

"_**FIREBALL!"**_

He launched the ball of flame at his opponent. The ball struck the youma and set it ablaze, leaving nothing behind except a charred skeleton. Another youma tried to attack from behind, but Quackenbush ducked underneath and delivered several headbutts to its face, the last one striking with such force that it separated the youma's head from its body.

Quackenbush quickly grabbed a youma from behind in a waist lock. Using his raw power, he executed a German suplex on the beast, causing it to land awkwardly on its head and snapping its neck. Blocking another incoming swipe from a youma, he grabbed it by the head and squeezed, using his strength to pop the youma's head like a balloon.

Taking a moment to wipe the blood from his eyes, Quackenbush glanced up and noticed a large group of youma and zombies converging on him. Powering up another Fire spell, his body suddenly became engulfed in flame.

"_**FIRE CHARGE!"**_

Roaring like a lion, he ran at the group of monsters, shoulder blocking all of them like a football linebacker. Every creature struck by the attack exploded, raining bits of blood and flesh onto the battlefield. Not stopping, Quackenbush powered up another attack.

"_**LAVA PUNCH!"**_

His fist blazed with fire more fiercely than ever, and he launched an uppercut on a youma, completely destroying its upper body. Continuing his attack, he landed a dozen devastating punches on another youma before bringing his fists down in a double axe handle, destroying the youma's head. Spinning around, he delivered another devastating Lava Punch that eviscerated another youma's upper body.

As a giant youma came stomping towards him, Quackenbush powered up one last Fire spell.

"_**FLAME LANCE!"**_

Suddenly, a lance made of pure fire materialized in Quackenbush's hands. Throwing it like a spear, he launched the lance at the large youma. It blew completely through the youma's chest, leaving a sizable hole and causing its heart to fall into the open. As it dropped to its knees, Quackenbush grabbed his Nanbanfu Battleaxe and sliced through the youma's head, causing its face to become separated from its skull before it fell to the floor, all life ceasing from its body.

"**Now this is what I call a good workout," **Quackenbush quipped.

* * *

Packer continued to take down multiple zombies at once with his powerful spells and martial arts abilities. As a youma tried to attack him, Packer blocked the attack and slammed him down on his knee, where he would deliver a series of lightning fast punches, the last of which would leave the youma's head barely hanging on to what was left of its neck as it crumpled to the ground.

Packer would parry another youma's swipe, and came back with a combo of his own, delivering a series of alternating punches before suddenly throwing a glass dagger at his opponent, imbedding itself in the youma's chest and detonating, taking the youma's entire upper body with it.

As another youma tried to come in with a series of swipes, Packer dodged them all and launched a counter offensive, delivering a right punch to the gut followed by a straight left to the face. After several chops to the head, he delivered a devastating kick that separated the youma's legs from the rest of its body. As it lie squirming on the ground in pain, Packer stomped on its head to put it out of its misery.

Another youma tried to attack from behind, but Packer spun around and delivered a powerful kick that went through the youma's stomach. As the youma screamed in pain, Packer unsheathed Shiden and sliced through the youma's neck, separating its head from its body.

Packer used Shiden to slice through several more zed and youma alike, before focusing his attention on a group of youma coming at him. Sheathing Shiden, he quickly powered up a spell.

"_**SACRED FIRE!"**_

Aiming his hands at one of the youma, he launched the powerful fireball at the youma, blowing a hole in the youma's chest and killing it instantly. As the other two rushed at him, Packer quickly powered up another spell.

"_**THUNDERBOLT!"**_

The bolt of lightning struck the second youma in the chest, carrying him backward until he struck the wall of the auditorium, where it slid to the floor, dead.

The last youma jumped into the air with its claws outstretched, but Packer was ready with one more spell.

"_**ICE BEAM!"**_

The blue beam struck the youma and froze it solid. Packer stepped out of the way as the frozen youma crashed into the ground, its body shattering into pieces like glass.

Taking a look around the battlefield, he noticed that all of the zombies and youma had been eradicated. All that remained standing were the Knights.

"**Mission complete," **Packer said as the other Knights walked up to him.

"**Not quite done yet, Packer-kun," **Sachiko called out. **"There's still one more youma for you to kill."**

Packer glanced over to where Sachiko was pointing. Struggling to its feet was one last youma demon, with a missing left arm. Its breathing was labored as it began walking toward the Knights, intent on trying to take at least one of them down with it.

"**You've got to be kidding, right?" **Quackenbush said.

"**Let's just put it out of its misery and be done with it," **Syn remarked.

"**Way ahead of you, Syn," **Packer replied, as a dagger appeared in his hand. He launched it at the youma, and found its mark in the beast's chest. It began to glow with light, but just as it seemed like it was going to detonate…

_**PFFFT!**_

…the spell malfunctioned, leaving the dagger imbedded in the youma as well as a confused look on its face, as well as the Knights' faces.

"**What the hell? Why didn't it go off?" **Packer asked incredulously.

"**Looks like that dagger was a dud, Packer," **Quackenbush replied with a chuckle. Packer sighed in frustration.

"**Freaking unbelievable!" **he yelled. **"Why does this crap always happen to me?!"**

Suddenly, as if to answer his question…

"**Awe, is something not explodin'? Torgue guns will fix that!"**

Everyone turned toward the sound of the booming voice. Standing on the opposite side of the auditorium was a tall, muscular man, with a mustache, long brown hair, glasses over his eyes, and a t-shirt that said 'Torgue' on the front.

"**Torgue?! What the hell's he doing here?!" **Quackenbush exclaimed.

"**You got me, Quack-attack," **Rush replied. They all looked back at Torgue as he walked toward them.

"**Every single shot fired from a Torgue weapon has the chance to explode," **Torgue continued. _**"WHAT THE FUCK ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?!"**_

Suddenly, a logo of the Torgue Company appeared on the center of the screen before settling into the lower left-hand corner.

"**Torgue! **_**EXPLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSIONS!" **_Torgue yelled as random explosions came out of thin air around him. The Knights glanced at each other in confusion.

"**Well, things got extremely weird in a hurry," **Packer said.

Meanwhile, the youma pulled the dagger out of its chest and moaned in pain. Suddenly, Torgue flashed over to it and grabbed it by the back of the neck.

"**If you don't love explosions, you're probably wearing women's underwear!" **Torgue shouted, grabbing the youma's underwear and giving it a wedgie. **"Just sayin'!"**

"**This guy is bizarre," **Naho muttered to herself.

"**Maybe, but he's a man after my own heart," **Sachiko giggled.

"**Yeah, you two would get along fine, it seems," **Naho sighed as Torgue spun back over to where the Knights were where he continued his sales pitch.

"**Torgue weapons include everything good in the world: Death, explosions, quality workmanship, explosions, a commitment to customer service, and the undying- **_**AWE, FOR FUCK'S SAKE, EXPLOSIONS!**_**" **Torgue shouted.

"**I think I'm beginning to like this guy," **Quackenbush said with a chuckle.

"**Wait, I have a question," **the youma spoke. Everyone turned toward it in disbelief.

"**Wait, it actually said something?" **Flora asked.

"**Appears that way," **Tundra replied.

"_**TORGUE MAKES THINGS EXPLODE!" **_Torgue roared. **"End of sales pitch!" **Suddenly, he shoved a silver and red shotgun with checkered patterns on it into Packer's waiting hands.

"**Whoa, a Bullpup 450 Cannonizer," **Quackenbush admired. **"The latest in Torgue weaponry."**

"_**NOW GO PUNCH SOME BAD GUYS IN THE DICK!" **_Torgue encouraged. Packer let a smile grace his lips as he turned toward the youma and cocked his new shotgun.

"**With pleasure," **Packer replied. The youma suddenly began cowering as he saw the emerald knight shoot his gaze towards him.

"**Wha… the hell… wha?" **the youma stammered.

"**Wow, looks like that youma's about to crap himself," **Seiko laughed.

"**What's the matter? You freaking stupid?" **Packer quipped as he aimed the shotgun at the youma.

"**Come on, bro!" **the youma pleaded, but to no avail, as Packer began firing the shotgun. The rounds struck the youma and exploded sending it flying backwards into the wall. A few more explosive shots later, all that remained of the youma was several various body parts.

Packer exhaled on the barrel, blowing the smoke away as he admired his weapon's handiwork.

"**Now that's what I'm talking about," **Packer said.

"**You have made me proud!" **Torgue beamed.

"**Congratulations, Packer-kun!" **Sachiko said as the force fields disappeared. **"You've passed your first challenge! But you've still got four more to go, so don't get too comfortable!"**

"**I know, Sachiko," **Packer replied. Sachiko clapped her hands together.

"**Now that that's done, let's get to our next event, shall we?" **she declared.

"**Wonder what's in store for us now?" **Satoshi wondered as the screen faded to black and the Torgue logo appeared on screen once again with an accompanying explosion and Torgue's booming voice.

"_**TORGUE!**_** Do not buy Torgue guns if you are allergic to **_**AWESOMENESS! **_**Or polycryton plating."**

"**Good thing I was wearing my gloves, then," **Packer remarked.

"_**TOODLES!" **_Torgue shouted as the screen faded to black.


	8. Chapter 8: Bomb Shelter Quiz

DISCLAIMER: CORPSE PARTY AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY TEAM GRISGRIS/GRINDHOUSE. ZENKA IS OWNED BY AXEL THE MOON. **_MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, PACKER, ANGEL, QUACKENBUSH, FLORA, TERRAN, TUNDRA, DUSTIN, RUSH, AND SYN ARE OWNED BY ME._**

**Author's Note: **AND IT'S A NEW RECORD! This chapter is the first one I've ever written that spans for over 20,000 words, and the final total was just a shade under _22,000_. _Ho-ly shee-it. _Thankfully, it didn't take six months like the last one did. XD

I hope you guys are in for some reading, because there is a lot to get through. Good luck.

* * *

**_CHAPTER 8: BOMB SHELTER QUIZ_**

As things finally settled down, everyone had broken off into groups and were talking amongst themselves while Sachiko was busy setting up the next event.

The Knights of the Covenant and the Kisaragi group were off on one side of the auditorium having a very lively conversation after Packer had introduced everybody.

"**It really is nice to meet all of you," **Angel said with a smile.

"**Likewise," **Yui replied.

"**I still can't believe there are others like Packer-kun out there," **Ayumi said.

"**Believe it, kid," **Quackenbush laughed. **"But Packer's in his own zip code with what he can do compared to the rest of us."**

"**So we've noticed," **Yoshiki chuckled.

"**So, Packer… you finally got yourself a girlfriend, eh?" **Flora asked with a sly smile. Packer sighed with slight irritation.

"**Yeah, I did. So?" **he replied.

"**So… it's about time," **Quackenbush interjected. **"I've told you for a long ass time that you needed to find yourself a girlfriend. Of course, I don't think any of us expected it to be one of the Nine, but be that as it may, I think you made a wonderful choice."**

"**Why, thank you, Johnny," **Seiko laughed, bowing in front of him. The group let out some laughter at Seiko's antics.

"**Hey, only I can call him Johnny," **Angel interrupted, although she was smiling as well.

"**Alright, everyone! Gather around!"**

All parties looked toward the stage, where Sachiko was now standing. With some apprehension, everyone gathered at the foot of the stage. The little girl let out a small giggle.

"**Alright, I came up with a quiz specifically for today!" **she beamed. **"Everybody likes quizzes, right?"**

Sachiko smiled pleasantly as she looked around at everyone. However, most of the group was making a half smile at Sachiko, eyes adverting.

'_A quiz made by Sachiko-Chan?' _Sayaka thought. _'Definitely can't say it's going to be good. Looks like most everyone here is thinking the same thing…'_

When everyone became quiet, Sachiko dropped shoulders slightly in disappointment, a small frown on her face.

"**Oh… does nobody like quizzes?" **Sachiko inquired. **"You know, things like 'Final Answer?' and 'Come On Down' and that kind of stuff?"**

"'**Come On Down?' Sounds like you're referring to 'The Price is Right', which isn't a quiz show, per se," **Packer explained. **"The other one, 'Final Answer', is a reference to the show 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire', which ****_is _****a quiz show."**

"**Wow, how do you know so much about quiz shows, Packer?" **Naomi asked. Packer shrugged.

"**Game shows, actually. I used to watch them as a kid," **he said.

"**But those shows are so old!" **Satsuki interjected.

"**S-Satsuki-Chan!" **Yuka exclaimed. Sachiko glanced at the two young Kisaragi girls with an irritated look on her face.

"**Why is it old?" **Sachiko asked. **"I went around to all the blue and red spirits to ask what the most recent quiz shows were the best."**

"**The Price is Right isn't exactly a 'recent' game show, and it was more of a guessing game than anything else," **Packer replied. **"Millionaire can be considered a recent show, though."**

"**Yeah, but even so, you're gonna get the wrong kind of answers if you ask dead people such things," **Satsuki said. Sachiko growled in frustration.

"**Well, then what kind of quiz shows are good?" **the little girl inquired.

"**The high-schooler's quiz, of course!" **Satsuki beamed.

"**What the hell is the high-schooler's quiz?" **Dustin asked.

"**It's a quiz show that was popular in Japan in the 90's," **Packer replied.

"**Is that really considered a good show, though?" **Yuka asked.

'_What a weird conversation,' _Sayaka thought.

"**Well, then, Yuka-chi, what would you suggest then?" **Satsuki inquired.

"**What? Well… ummmmm…" **Yuka mumbled, trying to come up with a definitive answer. **"Well, I don't really like quiz shows that much, so I actually don't really know what would be good."**

"**Geez! If you don't know, then don't interrupt me!" **Sachiko shouted.

Suddenly, the building began to shake violently at Sachiko's anger, causing everyone to gasp and yelp.

"**Geez, Sachiko! Calm down!" **Packer yelled. But the building just continued to shake. Several shards of glass fell toward the floor near where the young Kisaragi girls were. Packer quickly shielded the girls from the debris. Then, finally…

"...**I like them," **Sayaka spoke up. Hearing her words, Sachiko's eyes were quick to set their gaze on Sayaka, and the building finally began to stop shaking until it subsided entirely. Naho glanced at her young friend.

"**Sayaka, don't say anymore if you don't want to get into trouble," **Naho warned.

"**Maybe, but I didn't want to see those girls get hurt, so…" **Sayaka explained. Suddenly, Sachiko jumped down in between them, her eyes wide with merriment as she glanced up at Sayaka.

"**Sayaka Onee-Chan!" **Sachiko beamed. **"What did you just say you liked?"**

"**Um… a quiz," **Sayaka replied. **"I kind of like those things."**

"**Are you okay with the quiz that I made?" **Sachiko asked.

"**Yeah, I like it," **Sayaka said. Sachiko began jumping up and down excitedly.

"**Really?! Yaaaayyyy!" **Sachiko shouted with glee.

"**Man, this girl really seems to have bi-polar issues," **Quackenbush laughed.

"**You're not kidding there," **Syn agreed.

"**Welcome to my world," **Packer interjected.

"**Oh, my…" **Inumaru gasped. **"To think that Sayaka was a quiz maniac…"**

"**Eh?" **Sayaka muttered. **"What about it?"**

"**Well, to be a lovable childhood friend for 17 years, and to think there was still something about Sayaka that I didn't know about… It shocks me!" **Inumaru exclaimed.

"**What the hell is the lovable childhood friend thing all about?!" **Sayaka yelled. **"Actually, why are you still here?!"**

"**But at the same time, I'm flattered!" **Inumaru continued, as though he didn't hear Sayaka. **"Finding out a secret like this after being together so long… oh, how I love you even more!"**

"**Are you listening?!" **Sayaka roared. **"What happened to going home with you?!"**

"**What's wrong, Sayaka?" **Inumaru inquired. **"You're looking at me so intently. Oh, perhaps you've fallen on love at first sight with me?!"**

Sayaka face palmed in frustration.

'_This guy is hopeless… I got to do something about this…' _she thought.

Sachiko glanced up at Inumaru with a confused look.

"**Hmmm? I was pretty sure that I sent Inumaru back to the real world," **she noted. **"Inumaru, why are you still here?"**

Inumaru let out a hearty laugh.

"**I will return many times for those I love!" **he proudly declared. **"Call me the immortal phoenix!"**

"**So… fucking… annoying…" **Sayaka growled.

"**Sorry for leaving you, Sayaka," **Inumaru apologized. **"Were you lonely?"**

"**I was enjoying the moment while it lasted!" **Sayaka yelled. **"Geez, not even taking into consideration my feelings…" **Her eyes widened as she remembered something. **"Oh, by the way, what did you do with my clothes?! You did burn them like I said, right?!"**

"**Of course, I put them away neatly in my drawers," **Inumaru replied. **"Since Sayaka didn't need them anymore, I went ahead and…"**

"**_DIE!" _**Sayaka roared, kicking Inumaru in the stomach. With a pained groan, he collapsed to the ground.

"**K. O.!" **Dustin yelled, chuckling at the sight of the two of them arguing. Sayaka was breathing heavily as she tried to get her anger under control. Naho crossed her arms and shook her head.

"**I feel sorry for you, Sayaka," **Naho murmured.

"**Yeah," **Sayaka replied. **"I feel like I've wasted way too much precious energy on this numb nut anyways."**

"**I heard that," **Naho chuckled.

Meanwhile, the Kisaragi group, as well as the Knights, were looking on with amused expressions.

"**Geez, that guy is amazing," **Yoshiki admired. **"I've never seen a person so blatantly show the person they love that much affection."**

"**I'm more impressed with the amount of abuse he takes, and he keeps coming back for more," **Quackenbush laughed.

"**He's dedicated, that's for damn sure," **Rush chuckled.

"**Yeah, maybe I should learn from him," **Ayumi commented. Yoshiki glanced at her with a surprised look.

"**That would be very out of character for you. Shinozaki," **Yoshiki said.

"**You think so?" **Ayumi asked.

"**Yeah, I do," **Yoshiki answered.

'_Ah! Those people were listening!' _Sayaka thought with embarrassment.

"**Hey! Don't leave me out of the conversation like that!" **Sachiko yelled, bringing Sayaka's attention back to her.

"**Y-Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry," **Sayaka apologized. A smile reappeared on Sachiko.

"**Well, I'll forgive you since I'm so kind today," **Sachiko replied. **"And you did apologize, so…"**

"**Thank you," **Sayaka said, bowing to her.

"**Sayaka, don't believe her. You'll fall into her trap," **Naho warned.

"**Oh, yeah," **Sayaka replied. **"You're right. Okay, I understand."**

"**So, Sayaka likes my quizzes, right?" **Sachiko inquired. **"Then I'll let you be a part of my quiz show!"**

"**Yeah… thanks," **Sayaka murmured.

"**I really like you now, Onee-Chan," **Sachiko said. **"So, just for you, I'll pick people that you're close to so they can participate in this quiz."**

"**Really?!" **Sayaka exclaimed.

"**Yep!" **Sachiko replied. **"First off is Naho."**

"**Yay!" **Sayaka yelled happily. **"Naho-tan! We're together!"**

"**Yeah, thank God," **Naho said. **"I didn't want to be separated from you again, after all."**

"**And also your… lovable childhood friends? Yeah, Inumaru," **Sachiko said.

"**Alright!" **Inumaru exclaimed. **"Sayaka, we're together!"**

"**Crapola," **Sayaka whispered.

"**Ignoring me?!" **Inumaru yelled in a sad voice.

Just then, Aiko walked up to them.

"**With these three as a team, I'm guessing the next one is me?" **Aiko asked.

"**Correct!" **Sachiko confirmed. **"Aiko is in as well. And I'm also counting on you to do the job of assistant as well." **Aiko let out a small giggle.

"**It's starting to get interesting," **she said with a smile. **"Looks like it's gonna be fun, in more ways than one. So on that note… Naho-Chan, Sayaka-Chan, Haruyuki-kun, let's have some fun, okay?"**

"**Well…" **Sayaka mumbled.

"**Sayaka, you don't have to answer her," **Naho said with a frown. **"Don't give in so easily to the spirit and Aiko."**

"**Oh, my," **Aiko sighed. **"It seems I've drawn your ire quite a bit. It saddens me."**

'_Yeah, right,' _Sayaka thought. _'You look like you're enjoying yourself, Aiko-san.'_

"**Taguchi will be a member of this quiz as well," **Sachiko continued.

"**What?! Me as well?!" **Taguchi exclaimed.

"**Geh," **Naho muttered.

"**Naho-Chan, did you just say 'geh' to me?" **Taguchi asked.

"**Well, with Taguchi-san, I get worried about what's gonna happen next," **Naho said.

"**W-What are you trying to say?" **Taguchi inquired.

"**If possible, I would like to decline your attendance in this quiz," **Naho replied.

"**What?! That's so mean, Naho-Chan!" **Taguchi yelled.

"**Sachiko, is it possible for me to decline the attendance of a member?" **Naho asked.

"**No way!" **Sachiko replied. **"Once I've decided who's joining, they have to join in."**

"**Damn," **Naho muttered.

"**That's a little too much, isn't it?" **Taguchi complained.

"**Naho-tan, cheer up," **Sayaka said. **"I have to stick with Inumaru of all people, but I'm gonna try and live through this torturous hell!"**

"**You're really mean too, Sayaka-Chan!" **Taguchi yelled.

"**What a motley crew they are," **Terran laughed.

Inumaru let out a small laugh.

"**Come on, Taguchi-san," **he said. **"That's just Sayaka's embarrassed side talking."**

"**Eh? Is that so?" **Taguchi inquired.

"**Yes, that's right," **Inumaru answered. **"Sayaka is normally all cold on the outside, but when we're together, she's all nyan nyan pafu pafu! She's so damn cute!**

"**Pafu pafu?!" **Taguchi exclaimed.

"**Keep your obvious delusions and dreams to yourself, you creep!" **Sayaka yelled, kicking Inumaru in the leg.

"**Again with the inner thigh!" **Inumaru cried, dropping to the ground once again.

"**K. O.!" **Dustin yelled once again. Sayaka sighed in aggravation.

"**Geez, my head hurts," **she sighed.

"**Sayaka-Chan, you've got a good kick there," **Taguchi admired. Sayaka giggled in response.

"**This has turned into some kind of party already," **Aiko giggled.

"**No doubt," **Naho deadpanned.

"**Well, then I will announce the final member!" **Sachiko declared. **"Dakadakadakadakadakadakadaka… Ta-da! Kou Kibiki! You've been selected as a member of the group. Congratulations!"**

Sachiko snapped her fingers, and a flash of light brightened the room for a split second. When it faded, Kou Kibiki stood next to Sachiko.

"**Who is Kou Kibiki?" **Rush asked.

"**He's the foremost expert on paranormal activity in Japan," **Ayumi replied.

"**That fabulous hair, though," **Dustin said, admiring Kibiki's wavy black and blue hair.

"**Well, I'm not sure what's going on, but I guess I have no choice but to join," **Kibiki said. Naho let out a surprised gasp.

"**Sensei?!" **she yelled.

"**Naho?" **Kibiki said in surprise. **"Oh, I never thought I would see you again! Are you alright? Are you hurt at all?"**

A rare happy smile popped up on Naho's face as she ran over and gave him a hug.

"**I'm alright!" **she said gleefully, eyes watering up. **"I'm glad you're okay too, Sensei! To think I would get to see Sensei again…"**

"**I'm glad for you, Naho-tan…" **Sayaka murmured, her heart swelling at seeing Naho so happy. _'Naho-tan, you were so worried about Kibiki-sensei after all…'_

Kibiki turned toward Taguchi.

"**I'm glad you're safe and sound too, Taguchi-kun," **he said. **"I was worried when I lost you back there."**

"**I'm sorry, Kibiki-sensei!" **Taguchi apologized. **"I was so caught up back there, but I'm glad you're safe and sound as well."**

Sachiko clapped her hands to bring everyone's attention to her.

"**Okay then, everyone," **she announced. **"Are you all ready to move to the arena?"**

"**Ready to move?" **Sayaka repeated in confusion. Sachiko snapped her fingers, and a portal begins to open underneath the group, causing Sayaka to gasp in surprise.

"**Now it begins!" **Sachiko yelled. **"The Bomb Shelter Ultra Quiz! Everybody give your all, and try to have fun in the process!"**

The portal opened fully, causing everyone in the Paulownia group to fall through it. Their screams became quieter as they fell further and further away.

* * *

All was quiet in an old storage closet in the air raid bunker, until a portal suddenly opened and dropped the Paulownia group through it. Everyone landed on the dirt floor with a thud.

"**Ow, I hit my bum…" **Sayaka complained.

"**Are you alright, Sayaka?" **Inumaru asked worriedly. **"You want me to put a healing spell on your butt?" **He stopped as he realized what he said, but it was too late as Sayaka was now glaring at him from across the room. **"Okay, that didn't come out correctly…"**

"**You should just go die!" **Sayaka roared, running over and beginning to pummel Inumaru with her fists.

Naho shook the cobwebs from her head as she stood up, and chuckled as she watched Sayaka hit Inumaru relentlessly.

"**Good, it looks like we're all here," **Naho noted.

"**We were flown over rather violently, weren't we?" **Aiko inquired, dusting off her skirt. **"So, where are we exactly? Any ideas, Naho-Chan?"**

"**No, I have no idea," **Naho replied. **"But from what I can tell, this looks like an old storage room. Judging by how cluttered it is, I'd say it hasn't been used in years."**

"**I… I know this place…" **Sayaka muttered, recognizing her surroundings.

"**Oh, is that so?" **Aiko asked. Sayaka nodded in affirmation.

"**Yeah," **she replied. **"When we did the Sachiko Ever After charm, I ended up here, in this room. There's no doubt about it."**

"**So when we were flown to Heavenly Host Elementary the first time around, you ended up here," **Naho surmised.

"**Yeah," **Sayaka replied.

"**It's rather gloomy in here," **Inumaru said, looking around at the various boxes piled high next to the wall. **"And in this place, Sayaka… ahhh, how awful, you must've been scared." **He held his arms out wide. **"Come here, I'll comfort you. Come and jump into my arms, Sayaka!"**

"**You should just die already!" **Sayaka shouted.

"**I have a feeling you just said the same thing before, Sayaka!" **Inumaru pointed out.

"**That's because I did, idiot!" **Sayaka yelled, burying her fist into Inumaru's stomach, doubling him over. Aiko giggled watching them argue.

"**It's so entertaining watching you guys," **she murmured. Sayaka looked around, noticing several people missing from their group.

"**By the way, is it just us?" **she asked. **"Where's Sachiko and Sensei?"**

Just then, they heard a low moan. They looked over and could see Taguchi sitting up on the dirt floor as he finally regained consciousness.

"**Huh? Where are we?" **he asked.

"**Oh, Taguchi-san is here too. I forgot," **Naho deadpanned.

"**What?! I only just came to and you're already so harsh to me, Naho-Chan!" **Taguchi complained. **"And my back hurts and everything…"**

"**Well, if Taguchi-san is here then…" **Sayaka began. Naho let out a gasp.

"**Sensei? Where's Sensei? He's here somewhere," **Naho realized. Everyone looked around the room, but Kou Kibiki was nowhere to be seen. Naho cupped her hands together like a megaphone. **"Sensei! Kibiki-Sensei!" **When she heard no response, fear begin to rise up within her like a volcano beginning to erupt. **"Sensei, where are you?! Please, answer me!"**

"**Naho-tan, please calm down!" **Sayaka urged.

"**But, Sayaka, we just met each other again, and I'm afraid we might lose him again," **Naho cried.

"**It's okay, Naho-Chan," **Taguchi said. **"Sachiko even said that Sensei was a part of the quiz participants, so he'll definitely be here somewhere."**

"**Maybe Sachiko accidentally flew Sensei to a different location?" **Inumaru wondered, scratching his chin. **"Either way, we should go out and look for him."**

"**Unfortunately, that's not going to work," **Aiko interrupted, stopping everyone in their tracks.

"**What do you mean?" **Naho inquired. Aiko dug her hand into her skirt pocket and brought out a folded piece of paper.

"**I don't know when it happened," **she explained. **"But in my pocket, this piece of paper appeared."**

"**What's that?" **Naho asked.

"**It's an instruction manual that Sachiko-Chan gave us, or something along those lines," **Aiko said. Inumaru held his hand out. His eyes widened as he could feel something coming from the sheet of paper.

"**I can feel some spiritual energy coming from this," **he said.

"**Yes. It's not a normal piece of paper," **Aiko continued. **"It seems that it's a piece of paper that allows the user to read certain instructions at the appropriate time."**

"**I see," **Naho murmured. **"And what can we read at the current time?"**

Aiko giggled.

"**You want to know?" **she asked in a teasing tone. **"It involves Kou-Sensei."**

Naho gasped in surprise, and she could feel her frustration mount as she sensed Aiko was prodding her about this information.

"**Naho-tan, don't!" **Sayaka warned. **"Getting angry is not gonna help us find Kibiki-Sensei!"**

"**I know, but…" **Naho began. Aiko's smile grew ever wider.

"**If I said to Naho-Chan now that she'd have to pay me 10 times the normal secret information she normally would, she would pay it, wouldn't you, Naho-Chan?" **Aiko asked, causing Naho's blood to boil even more. **"Although, even if you wanted to, you don't have the actual goods on you."**

"**Aiko, stop right now, or I'm gonna get pissed," **Naho growled.

"**Oh, that doesn't scare me at all," **Aiko replied. **"You're always mad when you're talking to me anyway, right, Naho-Chan?"**

"**Why you…!" **Naho yelled, trying to lunge at Aiko, but Taguchi stepped in between the two girls to prevent a brawl from breaking out.

"**Whoa, whoa, hold on!" **Taguchi exclaimed. **"Fighting isn't gonna get us anywhere."**

Naho's breathing was heavy as she glared daggers at Aiko. Taguchi turned toward the brash young girl in question.

"**Um, Niwa-san," **Taguchi said.

"**Yes, what is it?" **Aiko asked.

"**To Naho-Chan and myself, Sensei is a very important person," **Taguchi explained. **"So I'd appreciate it if you'd stop being mean to her and tell us what is written on that piece of paper."**

"**Oh, my," **Aiko cooed. **"So Naho-Chan and Shougo-san are rivals fighting over Kou-Sensei?"**

"**That's not it at all!" **Taguchi shouted. **"Kibiki-Sensei is my mentor. He's taught me everything I know about the occult, so I'd appreciate if we'd stop this nonsense and look at the piece of paper already!"**

"**I agree," **Naho said. **"Me fighting over Sensei with Taguchi-san isn't happening, so stop saying stupid shit and tell us what's written on the paper!"**

"**My, what a boring reaction," **Aiko replied. **"I thought you'd beg more desperately, but you're just too boring, Naho-Chan."**

Naho gritted her teeth as the two glared at each other in silence. Then…

"**Well, if this is the kind of teamwork you guys are gonna exemplify, we're in deep trouble."**

Everyone looked over in surprise as Zenka Shinojin walked up to the group from out of the shadows. His jet black armor glinted in the faint light.

"**And who might you be?" **Aiko asked.

"**I am a Knight of the Covenant," **Zenka replied. **"Zenka Shinojin, Knight of the Storm, at your service."**

"**And what brings you here?" **Aiko inquired.

"**I was instructed by Sachiko to assist you with a few things," **Zenka explained. **"Such as keeping you safe from whatever might be lurking down here and keeping score on the quiz."**

"**Is that so?" **Aiko asked.

"**It is," **Zenka said. **"Sachiko will explain more in due time. But for now, you need to open that little slip of paper like you're supposed to, and read what it says."**

Aiko shrugs her shoulders.

"**Alright then, I'll read it for you all," **Aiko conceded.

"**Hurry up," **Naho urged. Aiko unfolded the piece of paper and glanced at its contents.

"**So… It says here that Sachiko is holding onto Kibiki because he is a prize in this quiz," **Aiko read.

"**A prize… what does that mean?" **Sayaka asked with confusion.

"**It sounds like whoever wins the quiz gets Sensei as a gift," **Naho surmised.

"**I see," **Taguchi said. **"Alright, let's do our best!"**

"**Why are you so up about it, Taguchi-san?" **Inumaru asked.

Suddenly, a light flashed all around them, causing everyone to gasp in surprise.

"**What the hell was that?!" **Sayaka shouted.

"**Right on cue," **Zenka said. **"Look over next to the wall."**

Everyone looked, and they could see a television sitting on top of a small table. Gathering around it, the screen suddenly came on, and on it were Sachiko and Kibiki.

"**Welcome to the air raid shelter, everyone!" **Sachiko beamed. **"I'm gonna explain the rules of this quiz, so listen carefully, okay?"**

"**Kibiki-Sensei, are you alright?" **Naho asked worriedly.

"**Yes, I am fine," **Kibiki replied. **"I'm sorry. By the time I realized it, I was here and… I feel so ashamed."**

"**Please wait right there! We're going to save you!" **Naho shouted, before turning and glaring at Sachiko. **"What is the meaning of this, Sachiko?! Release Sensei immediately!"**

"**No," **Sachiko replied bluntly. **"Didn't Aiko tell you? Kibiki is a prize in this quiz."**

"**Sensei isn't an object!" **Naho shouted. **"If you're gonna decide on a prize, then pick something else!"**

"**No!" **Sachiko replied again. **"I'm gonna do want I want to do. Didn't I tell you? It's ****_MY _****quiz." **She looked up with an eerie smile. **"Don't tell me that you're going against my idea?"**

Naho clinched her fists together, trying to keep her frustration under control.

"**Naho-tan, it's not a good idea to anger Sachiko-san too much," **Sayaka warned.

"**I know, but… it's so damn frustrating…" **Naho sighed.

"**I know how you feel, Naho-Chan," **Taguchi interjected. **"I also strongly disagree with Sensei being turned into a prize."**

"**You said you were try your best or something like that before," **Naho pointed out.

"**Only because I want to get Sensei back to us," **Taguchi countered.

"**So, does this mean that whoever comes in first place in this quiz gets Kibiki-Sensei?" **Inumaru asked.

"**Nope! Incorrect!" **Sachiko replied. **"Didn't Zenka tell you? In this quiz, the key to winning is 'teamwork'!"**

"**So… what does that mean?" **Inumaru inquired.

"**Well, since Zenka is our guest Knight for this event, which is something I'm gonna implement for the rest of my birthday, it would be best if he answered your questions," **Sachiko replied. **"Zenka, would you do the honors?"**

"**Certainly," **Zenka replied as the Paulownia group turned toward him. **"So, here's the gist of it. The five of you work as a team, which means that anyone can answer the quiz at any time. The scores will be added together from everyone's points to form the team total. Throughout this bomb shelter, there are questions scattered all over in secret hiding places, and it's your job to find them and answer them. Get it wrong, and you could lose points. Get it right, and you earn points based on the question. Also, there might be secret bonus question lurking about worth big points, so keep on the lookout for those."**

"**Got it," **Sayaka said.

"**Oh, and one more thing," **Zenka continued. **"In order to win the quiz, you have to get a certain amount of points. According to Sachiko, the winning total is 427 points."**

"**427? Why that number?" **Naho asked.

"**I think it refers to her favorite word, 'die', so… yeah," **Zenka replied.

"**That's correct," **Sachiko said. **"Also, in addition to earning Kibiki-Sensei, as a side bonus, I'll put everyone's starting positions in the same dimension, that is, if you earn more than 427 points!"**

"**What?!" **Taguchi exclaimed.

"**That means…" **Sayaka began.

"**Sensei, Sayaka, and Taguchi-san… all of us are gonna be able to see each other again after this?" **Naho asked.

'_What's everyone talking about?' _Inumaru thought with confusion.

Sachiko let out a small giggle.

"**Seriously?! No kidding?" **Sayaka inquired.

"**Today, I'm very nice, so you can believe me, alright?" **Sachiko replied. **"It's an open-hearted, open-minded kind of thing. So, do your best, everyone!"**

"**Of course we'll do our best!" **Sayaka beamed. **"Right, Naho-tan?"**

"**Yes!" **Naho yelled, now filled with confidence. **"I'm gonna meet Sayaka and Sensei again, and escape this Godforsaken Heavenly Host Elementary once and for all!"**

"**If you don't include me, then I'm gonna start to worry, Naho-Chan!" **Taguchi complained.

"**Sachiko-Chan, is it alright if I ask a question?" **Aiko asked.

"**Sure, what is it?" **Sachiko inquired.

"**What happens if the score is lower than the 427 required?" **Aiko asked. **"As long as I'm in this group, I think everybody getting along is going to be… impossible, for the lack of better words."**

"**Well, you're not wrong there…" **Naho conceded.

"**I always look at things without bias," **Aiko said. **"You know what I'm like, right, Naho-Chan?"**

Naho just simply glanced at Aiko in silence.

"**Well… let's see…" **Sachiko said, the gears in her head turning. Then, she looked up, an evil look on her face. **"If the score does not meet the 427 requirement, then I'll take the liberty to do all sorts of things to Kibiki's body!"**

"**What?!" **Naho shouted.

"**First, I'll pull out all of the blue hairs, right?" **Sachiko said. **"Then I'll tear away his clothes, too!"**

"**Stop!" **Naho screamed. **"Those two things are what make up Sensei's identity! Take me instead!"**

"**She would actually mess up that fabulous hair?" **Zenka asked. **"That's just evil."**

"**It's okay, Naho-kun," **Kibiki reassured. **"My hair will grow back eventually, and I can always put my clothes back on again, so it'll be alright."**

"**Sensei…" **Naho whispered.

"**Anyway, I'll leave the administration to Aiko, and the scorekeeping to Zenka, while I'll be busy guarding Kibiki," **Sachiko said.

"**Alright," **Aiko replied. **"I just have to keep an eye on this piece of paper, right?"**

"**Yep!" **Sachiko beamed. **"Concerning tomorrow, it's irrelevant to Inumaru, Aiko and Zenka… unless Packer-kun fails to do his part, but other than that, just try to take it easy and enjoy yourselves. Well then, bye-bye, and good luck!"**

And then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the footage was cut from the monitor. Naho stood in silence, her body beginning to shake all over. She desperately tried to hold back a few tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. She felt a hand touch her shoulder, and she glanced up to see that it was Sayaka.

"**Naho-tan, it'll be alright," **Sayaka whispered. **"Over these past couple of days, we've gotten through all sorts of situations. So it'll be alright this time, too."**

"**Sayaka…" **Naho whispered, her heart strings being pulled tight.

"**If the two of us are together, then everything is going to be A-Okay, alright?" **Sayaka encouraged.

"**Yeah…" **Naho agreed. Naho took Sayaka's hand in hers and held it tight, feeling the warmth of it flowing into her.

'_It's alright. Everything is going to be alright…' _Naho thought, trying to assure herself. As she reflected on Sayaka's words, she noticed that she had stopped shaking.

"**I'm alright. I've calmed down now," **Naho said.

"**Good!" **Sayaka beamed. Taguchi let out a small chuckle.

"**You guys really are close," **he noted.

"**But I'm the only one that has a steady relationship with Sayaka!" **Inumaru said.

"**Alright, alright, enough with your delusions," **Sayaka jested.

"**You're kind of starting to talk a lot like Saenoki-san recently, Sayaka," **Inumaru pointed out.

Zenka crossed his arms as he observed everything in front of him.

"**I realize that we've only just met," **Zenka spoke up. **"But I get the feeling that this Kibiki-Sensei means a lot to you." **Naho glanced over at him and gave a wordless nod. **"Well, all you have to do is beat this quiz, and you'll get him back."**

Zenka held up his left arm, covered by an arm gauntlet, which had a digital readout attached to it. Currently, it read '000' in white numbers. **"This will keep track of how many points you've earned," **Zenka explained.** "427 points is the target. It seems like a lot, but it can be done. There are a lot of questions in this shelter that can award a ton of points. All we have to do is find them."**

Suddenly, they heard a screech from outside the room, making everyone's blood turn cold. Just then, without warning, a youma burst into the room, intent on tearing everyone apart. Fortunately, Zenka was ready. Quickly unsheathing Zangetsu, he quickly spun around and decapitated the approaching youma, killing it instantly. Its headless body collapsed to the ground, while the head struck the far wall and came to rest, its eyes rolling into the back of its head.

"**Of course, there's also the matter of watching out for those damn youma that are roaming the bomb shelter as well," **Zenka said darkly, resheathing Zangetsu.

"**It seems like it's not gonna be easy to get the prize at the end," **Inumaru noted.

"**Well, if we don't try our best, then Kou-Sensei is gonna have some terrible things happen to him for sure," **Aiko said. **"How terrible."**

"**Just don't get in our way, alright?" **Naho warned. Aiko giggled in response.

"**I wonder what I should do?" **she murmured. Naho gritted her teeth in aggravation.

"**Stop it, you two!" **Taguchi shouted. **"Now's not the time nor the place to do that! We have to work together if we want to get Sensei back to safety!"**

"**Taguchi-san, I can't accept that statement," **Naho replied.

"**Huh?" **Taguchi uttered in confusion.

"**The one who is going to save Sensei and get rewarded is me, and me only!" **Naho boldly declared. **"I'm not letting anyone take that away from me!"**

"**Wow, you're really persistent on something like that?" **Taguchi inquired.

"**I especially don't want that taken by Taguchi-san," **Naho continued. **"So, Sayaka, Inumaru-kun… and I guess Aiko as well, please help me out with that."**

"**Of course!" **Sayaka exclaimed. **"I'm always on your side, Naho-tan!"**

"**I'm always on Sayaka's side, so I'll help you out too this time!" **Inumaru joined in.

"**Thank you, you two," **Naho said gratefully.

"**I wonder what I should do," **Aiko thought out loud. **"I don't really like helping people without some kind of profit, but I guess it wouldn't hurt in the long run to make a repayment with Naho-Chan right here."**

"**I'd appreciate it if you thought about it with less dark intentions," **Naho grumbled.

"**Huh? Naho-Chan, what about me?" **Taguchi asked.

"**Out of all of us here, the one that has no supernatural sense is you, and only you Taguchi-san," **Naho said matter-of-factly. **"To be honest, you're the most useless one here."**

"**T-That's so mean, Naho-Chan!" **Taguchi complained. **"You never know, I might be useful at some point or another!"**

"**In a school inhabited by evil spirits, what is a 'normal' cameraman going to do that could be helpful to us in any way?" **Naho continued. **"I just can't see anything. Long story short, you're unneeded."**

"**Ooof, brutal," **Zenka chuckled. **"I hope Taguchi brought some burn heal."**

"**Hey… stop!" **Taguchi yelled. **"If you say anymore, then I'm seriously going to start thinking things that I probably shouldn't, Naho-Chan!"**

"**I couldn't care less, to be honest," **Naho sighed.

"**Hey, nobody says that with a serious expression!" **Taguchi yelled.

Naho let an evil smile grace her lips.

'_Well, it does feel good whenever I see Taguchi-san with a shocked expression on his face,' _Naho thought. Taguchi noticed Naho's smile and could feel the hairs on the back of his neck begin to stand up.

"**A-Are you thinking something that I shouldn't know…?" **he inquired. Naho thought about it for a minute.

"**Nah, I'll leave it there for now," **she replied.

"**That so?" **Taguchi asked.

"**Well, sorry," **Aiko said suddenly. **"That's incorrect."**

"**Huh?" **Naho muttered in confusion. Everyone stared at Aiko like she had grown a second head. **"What are you talking about?"**

"**I said it's incorrect, Naho-Chan," **Aiko repeated with a giggle. **"Didn't you realize? Your little spat with Taguchi-kun was the first question on the quiz."**

"**Are you serious?" **Zenka questioned.

"**Deadly serious," **Aiko replied. **"Naho-Chan just thought about what to do with Shougo-san, right? Whether to leave him be for now, or to continue with more."**

"**Well… yes, I did," **Naho admitted. **"But isn't there usually a question to begin with when doing a quiz? There was no question, let alone it making any sense as a question."**

"**Normally, that's true," **Aiko answered. **"But in a place like this, it's not smart to have any thoughts using common sense. If you thought that Sachiko-Chan would give us easy questions to understand and answer, then you are highly mistaken."**

"**She does have a point," **Zenka spoke up. **"This is Sachiko we're talking about here. This is the mind of an eight year old girl at work, with sadistic tendencies, so these questions could literally be about anything and can come out of nowhere at any time, like just now."**

"**But… that one was kind of unfair in my book," **Sayaka protested. Zenka could only shrug.

"**Sorry. I don't like it either, but them's the rules. I don't make them, I just enforce them," **Zenka said.

"**It's alright, Sayaka," **Naho assured. **"As much as I hate to admit it, Aiko's right. It was my fault on that one. I should've taken my time and decided on my answer more carefully."**

"**I'm glad we've come to an understanding," **Aiko replied.

"**But why was that incorrect?" **Inumaru asked. **"Judging from the current circumstances, Saenoki-san chose to 'leave him be for now', right?"**

"**So that means that 'keep going' was the correct answer, but why?" **Naho wondered.

"**I don't know. It doesn't say why," **Aiko replied. "**Maybe it's better if you asked the person in question."**

Everybody's gaze pointed at Taguchi, whose cheeks seem to be glowing a bright red for some reason.

"**Got an explanation for us, Taguchi?" **Zenka inquired. Taguchi rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"**Well… um… it's kind of embarrassing to admit… but, I… actually don't mind being ruthlessly made fun of by Naho-Chan," **Taguchi admitted.

"**What?!" **Naho screeched, her eyes bulging.

"**So, I thought I really wouldn't have minded if you continued to say such awful things to me," **Taguchi continued. **"That's probably the reason."**

"**Well, there's your logical explanation," **Zenka laughed.

"**Oh, my God!" **Naho roared. **"Taguchi-san, never speak to me again for the rest of your measly life!"**

"**Ah, that evil look you have, it reminds me of someone disgustingly staring at an insect of some sort!" **Taguchi pointed out. **"Naho-Chan, you really do suit that kind of stare!"**

"**Oh, man…" **Inumaru sighed, face palming. **"I know I can be a blithering idiot sometimes, but even I've got my limits…"**

Taguchi's eyes widened as he noticed everyone backing away from him slowly.

"**What?! Why are you guys backing away?!" **Taguchi yelled. **"I thought at least Inumaru-kun would understand me, being a male like I am!"**

"**I'm sorry, I have no idea what you're going on about," **Inumaru replied.

"**Come on, now," **Taguchi countered. **"You get excited when you think about Sayaka-Chan giving that kind of attitude to you too, right?"**

"**My angel would never say stuff like that to me," **Inumaru replied.

"**What are you going on about?!" **Sayaka roared. **"Are you blind or something?!"**

"**Oh yeah, Sayaka-Chan!" **Taguchi exclaimed. **"You would understand what I mean, right? When Naho-Chan becomes all cold against you, you're all 'OH, YEAH! OOH!', right?"**

"**My angel never says stuff like that to me, so… no," **Sayaka replied.

"**Huh? What is this uncomfortable change?" **Taguchi asked.

"**I'm sorry, but I doubt we'll ever be able to understand each other for all eternity," **Sayaka muttered. **"My condolences to you."**

"**Man… it kind of hurts more when you say it so politely…" **Taguchi moaned.

"**Yep… this is a well-oiled machine, alright…" **Zenka sighed, pinching his nose with his fingers.

"**It hasn't been that long since this quiz started and we've already torn open the hole that is Shougo-san's fetish," **Aiko laughed. **"This is gonna be interesting."**

"**Nobody is thinking that except you," **Naho retorted. **"By the way, if it was an incorrect answer, what happens next?"**

"**Well, since Question 1 was incorrect, we lose 50 points from our total," **Aiko answered.

Zenka raised his arm, and everyone watched as the numbers turned red and a 'wha wha whaaa' sound emanated from it. The digital readout now read '-50' in red numbers.

"**Well, that's a rather large deduction, I'd say," **Taguchi sighed.

"**Already at negative 50…" **Naho said with a defeated voice. **"Are we really going to get to 427 points?"**

"**Hmmm…" **Sayaka hummed to herself. **"I understand why Naho-tan would be worried. But it's only the first question! We'll be able to make up the difference for it by the end, I'm sure of it!"**

"**That's right!" **Inumaru agreed. **"I doubt that they'll make the questions so difficult that getting one question wrong spells disaster, right?"**

"**They do have a point, Naho," **Zenka replied. **"Remember, there are a lot of questions out here in this bunker, some containing a boatload of points, and they could come out of the woodwork at any time, so you must be prepared for them."**

"**Yeah!" **Sayaka agreed. **"Sachiko-san seems like she's in a good mood today, too!"**

"**You're right," **Naho said. **"I need to be positive about this."**

"**It seems like there won't be any unprompted questions from here on in," **Aiko spoke up.

"**Really?" **Sayaka asked.

"**Indeed," **Aiko replied. **"As Zenka himself pointed out, the rest of the questions are scattered throughout the place, and we have to find the questions and answer them together."**

"**So the next one will have an actual question written on it," **Sayaka surmised.

"**Exactly," **Zenka answered.

"**Well, that certainly helps a lot," **Naho said.

"**Then let's go look for them," **Inumaru declared. **"Should we start looking in this room?"**

"**No, I doubt there would be any questions hidden in here, since this is our starting point," **Aiko replied. **"I think it's better to start searching elsewhere."**

"**Right. Let's go, then," **Naho retorted.

"**Alrighty then!" **Taguchi boasted. **"Can you guys leave this to me?!"**

"**What?" **Naho questioned.

"**I need to prove to Naho-Chan that I can be useful for something!" **Taguchi said. **"I'll find the first quiz and prove that I'm needed in this group!"**

"**Wait, Taguchi-san!" **Naho yelled as he rushed out the door. The others were quick to follow suit after them… except Zenka, who stood there with his arms crossed in front of him. He shook his head and let out a small sigh.

"**This is gonna be a long quiz, I can tell already," **he sighed, unsheathing Zangetsu. **"Joy…"**

* * *

Taguchi ran out into the hallway and glanced around.

"**Well then, which way should we go?" **Taguchi wondered. **"Alright, let's start off by going to the right!"**

As he began running down the hallway, he could hear the faint sound of footsteps.

"**Hm? Footsteps…?" **Taguchi muttered. **"Is somebody there?" **He let out a gasp as he thought about who it could be. **"Is it possibly… Kibiki-Sensei? Sensei, where are you?! Kibiki-Sensei!"**

Just then, the sound of footsteps running came up behind him. He looked back and could see the rest of the Paulownia group running up to him.

"**Taguchi-san, what's wrong?" **Naho asked.

"**It seems like there's somebody nearby," **Taguchi replied. **"It could be Sensei."**

"**Sensei?! Really?!" **Naho gasped.

"**Kibiki-Sensei, can you hear us?!" **Sayaka yelled, cupper her hands together over her mouth like a megaphone. There was no response. Zenka gripped his sword a little tighter, electricity running up and down his arms as they could still hear the footsteps.

"**Where are those steps coming from?" **Inumaru asked.

"**It's difficult to see, with it being so gloomy," **Aiko replied.

"**Sensei!" **Naho shouted.

Suddenly, a loud screech echoed throughout the hallway, bringing everyone to a halt.

"**Keep your voices down," **Zenka harshly whispered. **"There's still youma and whatever else roaming down in this place. We need to keep an eye out for them, just in case they show up."**

"**That's strange… I'll go and check over there!" **Taguchi said, running down the hall. Zenka sighed in frustration.

"**Doesn't he realize that we need to stick together?" **he muttered. The group ran down the hall after him.

As they approached Taguchi, they noticed that he had come to a branching hallway, one going left, right and forward. He turned around and glanced back at them.

"**So… which way should we go?" **Taguchi asked. Confusion etched on his face when he noticed the terrified looks they were all giving him.

"**Taguchi-san, behind you!" **Naho yelled.

"**Look out!" **Inumaru warned.

Both Inumaru and Naho brought out their protective charms, and Zenka raised Zangetsu to attack, but it was too late. A large hammer suddenly swung down over Taguchi's head and…

_PLINK!_

Everyone stopped as they heard the curious noise. Taguchi gasped as he noticed that the person holding the hammer was none other than Sachiko's monster, Yoshikazu, but the hammer he was holding seemed a bit… off.

"**Weird… it didn't hurt at all…" **Taguchi noted. Yoshikazu growled as he hit Taguchi with the weird hammer again, causing it to make the same _PLINK! _noise again. **"Hey, man!"**

Yoshikazu had a wide smile on his face as he chuckled every time his hammer made the weird noise. Zenka lowered his sword, absolute confusion covering his face.

"**Okay… this just got really freaking bizarre…" **he muttered.

"**What is going on here?" **Naho asked, just as confused as Zenka. Inumaru threw his arms up in defeat.

"**No clue," **he said.

"**That's a Pico-Ham, a very popular plastic toy hammer here in Japan," **Naho said. **"But what happened to the usual hammer?"**

"**He's always holding a hammer?" **Aiko asked.

"**Yeah, a rather old sledgehammer that looks like it's been used a lot," **Naho replied.

"**Oh, is that so?" **Aiko said. **"That's a shame. I wanted to see it. It must've been a wonderful spiritual hammer full of so much dark and evil energy."**

"**Maybe, but I doubt you'd want to be on the receiving end of that thing," **Zenka pointed out.

Yoshikazu let out small grunting noises, sounding like a monkey, as he continued to hit Taguchi with his toy hammer.

"**Come on, what the actual hell?!" **Taguchi complained.

"**He's probably mad because you separated from the group," **Aiko pointed out.

"**Eh?" **Taguchi uttered.

"**Sachiko-Chan said it herself," **Aiko continued. **"The key to winning this quiz is to work together with the group assigned. It's a big no-no to go off independently from the group. If you break the rules, you'll be bashed upon like so."**

Yoshikazu grunted as he nodded in affirmation, giving Taguchi one more whack with his toy hammer.

"**Ow! Alright, I get it!" **Taguchi conceded. **"I won't go ahead already!"**

Just then, a loud screech sounded in the corridor, a little louder than normal. Suddenly, a youma came running out of the darkness from behind Yoshikazu toward the Paulownia group. Thinking fast, Zenka powered up a spell.

"**_INAZUMA! (LIGHTNING BOLT!)"_**

Extending his hands outward, a large bolt of lightning shot out of his hands, just past Taguchi and into the chest of the youma. It screamed as it was electrocuted where it stood. When the electricity vanished, the skin on the youma as charred to a crisp. It fell to its knees and to the dirt floor, dead.

Zenka dusted off his hands as he glared at Taguchi.

"**That's another reason you shouldn't go ahead without us," **Zenka warned. **"You could've been torn apart by that youma, and there would've been nothing we could've done to stop it."**

Shivers running down his spine, Taguchi nodded as he quickly ran back to the group. Yoshikazu lowered his hammer, turned around and began to slowly walk away from the group. Sayaka shivered watching him leave.

"**That was so scary…" **she whispered.

"**Are you alright, Sayaka?" **Naho asked.

"**Yeah, kind of…" **Sayaka replied.

"**If you can't walk, then I'll always carry you, Sayaka!" **Inumaru offered.

"**I just don't want him to come out like that all of a sudden," **Sayaka sighed. **"Geez…"**

"**Well, you're certainly up and at 'em, Sayaka!" **Inumaru beamed. **"But don't be shy. Don't stress yourself, okay? My arms are here to hold you, after all."**

Taguchi laughed at Inumaru's posturing.

"**Inumaru-kun is a rather positive thinker," **he admired. Aiko giggled as well.

"**That stalker thinking is rather cute," **she observed.

"**Well, I think stalker is a bit much, but…" **Taguchi began.

"**It's better than Taguchi-san's sexual fetishes," **Naho finished.

"**Ouch…" **Taguchi moaned, his shoulders drooping. Naho looked back at the direction Yoshikazu disappeared to.

"**Anyway, regardless of whether he holds a Pico-Ham or a real hammer, it's still a person I'd rather not see down here again," **Naho commented.

"**Yeah, that ghost is bad for the heart," **Sayaka shivered.

"**I wonder if he's really a ghost, though," **Zenka said. **"He seemed pretty real to me, almost like a zombie."**

"**It's best to avoid doing anything that would break the rules," **Naho interjected. **"So on that note, Taguchi-san, never do anything selfish like that again, please."**

"**I understand," **Taguchi replied sadly.

"**Well, then, shall we get going?" **Aiko suggested. **"By the looks of it, there seems to be nothing of note around here."**

"**You're right," **Naho replied. **"Where shall we go?"**

Aiko walked up to the intersection and looked to the left.

"**There seems to be a light down this way," **Aiko observed. **"I suggest going this way."**

Sayaka walked up to the intersection and looked to the right.

"**I think… we should go to the right," **Sayaka said.

"**Why?" **Naho asked.

"**Call it a hunch," **Sayaka replied.

"**A hunch?" **Aiko repeated. **"I don't recommend going with opinions that have little to no justifications."**

"**But I think I know more about this place than Aiko-san," **Sayaka countered. **"I've wandered around this place before, so I think I know where the quizzes would be hidden."**

"**But don't you know, Sayaka-Chan?" **Aiko replied. **"Today, this place is being built using Sachiko-Chan's powers, so the dimension is being shifted manually by her. So the place were in right now is technically a different place than where you were, Sayaka-Chan. Put simply, your wits are no use in this situation right now. Do you understand?"**

As Aiko gave the group an alluring smile, Naho could see Sayaka's eyes start to twitch in frustration.

"**But I still think we should go this way!" **Sayaka shouted.

"**Really?" **Aiko inquired. **"Are you not just saying that to cover for your mistakes?"**

"**It's not like that," **Sayaka retorted.

"**Then let's decide on the majority," **Aiko suggested. **"I want to go down the brighter left path, and Sayaka-Chan wants to go down the darker right path. Which path should we take?"**

Everyone looked at Zenka, who simply shook his head.

"**Don't look at me," **Zenka replied. **"This is your quiz, therefore, it is your decision, not mine. I'm just along for the ride."**

"**I'm always on Sayaka's side, so I vote for the right path," **Inumaru said.

"**I'm putting my vote in for Niwa-san," **Taguchi replied. **"I prefer to go down the brighter path since it'll be a lot easier to look for the quizzes, and it's less likely that Yoshikazu will show up again."**

"**So, two votes each," **Aiko said. **"That leaves just you, Naho-Chan. So, which way would you like to go?"**

Naho crossed her arms and thought long and hard about it. After a minute, she gave a long and hard sigh, realizing that her decision was against her better judgment when it came to Aiko.

"**Let's try and go left," **Naho said.

Sayaka's mouth dropped open at Naho's answer. Aiko giggled in response.

"**I know, right?" **Aiko beamed. **"It's normal to choose my path in this situation."**

"**Naho-Chan, why…?" **Sayaka questioned, her eyes brimming with tears. Naho let out a depressed sigh.

"**I think it's natural to choose the brighter path over a suspiciously dark path, don't you think so?" **Aiko said. **"It's perfectly logical, right, Naho-Chan?"**

"**As I much as I hate it, Aiko's right, Sayaka," **Naho admitted. **"Like her, I think that going the brighter path would be quicker and more efficient in this situation." **She gave Sayaka an apologetic look. **"Sorry, Sayaka."**

"**Efficient…" **Sayaka repeated. Aiko giggled again.

"**As expected of Naho-Chan," **she noted. **"Instead of worrying about the friendship that you have with Sayaka, you prioritized logic over anything in your answer. Even if you did hurt Sayaka-Chan, you're not fazed by it at all, right?"**

"**I never said that!" **Naho yelled. **"I just… want to finish this quiz already and save Sensei!"**

"**So, simply put, you place Kou-Sensei over Sayaka-Chan's friendship," **Aiko goaded.

"**Oh, for the love of Pete…" **Zenka sighed, face palming.

"**I-I never said that either!" **Naho shouted indignantly. **"Stop putting words in my mouth!"**

"**Naho-Chan…" **Sayaka murmured. Naho looked over at her and sighed.

'_I had no intention of neglecting Sayaka, but maybe she took it that way,' _Naho thought. _'Did I… hurt… Sayaka?'_

Then, all of a sudden, Sayaka's face brightened up, and she let out a small giggle.

"**I'm glad. It's all good then!" **she beamed.

"**Eh?" **Naho uttered in confusion.

"**Let me explain," **Sayaka said. **"It's not like you chose Aiko-san over me, but you chose her path because you care so much about saving Kibiki-Sensei, right? Then I understand! If Naho-tan decided on it, then I'm not going to complain."**

"**Sayaka…" **Naho whispered, feeling her emotions rushing to the surface. Sayaka took Naho's hands in hers.

"**It's no problem," **Sayaka assured. **"I'm not hurt in the least, okay? Because I know that even if you chose Aiko-san's idea, our friendship is deeper than that of any ocean in existence, and it will not be disturbed in the least!"**

"**Of course it won't," **Naho replied, a smile now gracing her lips.

"**And there's no way that my deep love for Sayaka will ever be shaken up either!" **Inumaru declared. Sayaka glared back at him.

"**Wha… oh, Geez," **Sayaka grumbled. **"Don't interrupt us while we're trying to bring our friendship closer together, damn it!"**

With lightning speed, she swung her fist backwards and connected with Inumaru's jaw, sending him sprawling onto the dirt floor. Sayaka growled in frustration.

"**Geez, you ruined the mood completely!" **she complained. Naho giggled.

"**Yep, he did," **she chuckled.

"**Well, that was rather anti-climactic," **Aiko sighed. **"Aren't you two perhaps a little too close to each other?"**

Sayaka giggled as her cheeks flared red.

"**Of course we are!" **she beamed. **"Right, Naho-tan?"**

"**Besides, would it matter if they were?" **Zenka interjected. **"At least they've got the right idea in terms of working as a team, unlike you."**

Aiko crossed her arms and frowned at the onyx Knight, but Zenka was unfazed by her reaction.

"**I don't know if you were paying attention during the Battle Royale," **Zenka continued. **"But you saw how the Knights of the Covenant work together. Even though we can control only one element… except Packer, who can control them all, we work together to make up for our deficiencies and enhance our strengths. At some points, we even combined our powers for even greater effect and results. A similar mindset must be taken here if you're going to succeed…" **He holds up the arm with the digital readout, which still showed a red color. **"…especially if you intend to get out of this hole you're currently in. As it stands, you need 477 points to win the quiz, so you need to start working together if you're gonna survive."**

"…**Yes, I suppose you have a point," **Aiko replied.

"**Alright, let's change the topic," **Naho interjected. **"So Aiko, I just thought about it now, but… was our selection just then a question on the quiz as well?"**

"**Oh, so you realized it," **Aiko replied, a surprised look on her face.

"**Thought so," **Naho said with a smug smile. Aiko nods in affirmation.

"**Congratulations," **Aiko declared. **"Your correct answer nets you 10 points."**

The digital readout on Zenka's arm suddenly made a cash register sound, and the readout changed to '-40' in red numbers.

"**We only got 10 points for a correct answer, huh?" **Taguchi said. **"Looks like the road to 427 points is going to be a long one."**

"**Indeed, but it's a start, at least," **Zenka replied. **"You're still in the red, but you've got momentum right now. Don't lose it."**

"**By the way, can we even call that a legit quiz?" **Sayaka questioned. **"I thought Aiko-san said there wouldn't be any more unprompted ones."**

Aiko giggled in response.

"**I'm sorry. That was a lie," **she admitted. Sayaka gasped in shock. **"But from now on, there really won't be any more unprompted ones."**

"**Is that a lie, too?" **Sayaka grumbled, crossing her arms in disgust.

"**Like I said at the beginning, expect the unexpected," **Zenka replied.

"**Zenka's right," **Naho said. **"It's best if we remain constantly on our guard."**

"**Oh, my, how rude of you," **Aiko giggled. Sayaka rolled her eyes.

"**Considering your reputation, you're not exactly in a position to be talking," **Zenka pointed out.

"**No need to pay attention to her," **Naho interjected. **"Come on, Sayaka. Let's move on."**

"**Yeah, okay," **Sayaka agreed.

"**Taguchi-san, can you take the lead, please?" **Naho asked.

"**Huh? Why me?" **Taguchi inquired.

"**Because if there's a trap up ahead, then you'll be the one to give us a heads up," **Naho replied.

"**Brutal," **Zenka chuckled.

"**I get what you mean, but isn't that mean?!" **Taguchi exclaimed. Letting out a sigh, he nodded. **"Alright. I am the only adult in this group after all! I'll take the lead and ensure everyone's safety! Let's do this!"**

Sayaka looked back at Zenka.

"**Aren't you an adult, Zenka?" **she asked.

"**Actually, no," **Zenka replied. **"I'm only seventeen right now."**

"**I see," **Sayaka nodded.

"**But compared to Taguchi, I think I'm more of an adult than he is," **Zenka chuckled. Sayaka giggled in response.

"**Agreed," **she said.

Suddenly, as Taguchi took the first step, a trap door suddenly opened underneath him, causing him to fall through it. Taguchi yelled as he fell into the hole.

"**A trap hole?!" **Sayaka exclaimed.

"**Looks like it," **Naho said matter-of-factly. **"I didn't think he would get caught in the first step, though."**

"**No way… Taguchi-san!" **Sayaka yelled into the hole.

"**Oh, my… an instant death?" **Aiko wondered. **"Squashed like splat? Or maybe he was stabbed to death at the bottom by spikes?"**

"**Hey! Don't go and get me killed like that!"**

Everyone looked down into the hole, and noticed that Taguchi had managed to grab onto the side of the door as he was falling, keeping him from falling into the pit of sharpened spikes below.

"**Wow, he didn't fall!" **Sayaka said in amazement.

"**Taguchi-san, your sacrifice will not be wasted!" **Inumaru shouted.

"**Not you too, Inumaru-kun?!" **Taguchi exclaimed. **"How about pulling me up already?! There's all these sharp bamboo spikes underneath me! I'm gonna die! Help me!"**

"**My, my, to think I stumbled upon a chance to see a live human fall to his death like this," **Aiko noted. **"Shougo-san, could you maybe perhaps think about letting go?"**

Zenka looked up at Aiko as if she were from another planet.

"**Wow, Aiko. You are one evil bitch," **he said with disgust.

"**I try," **Aiko replied with a shrug.

"**You're saying some scary stuff, you know?!" **Taguchi shouted. **"No freaking way I'm letting go! Please, someone lend me your hand and pull me up!"**

"**Hold on. I'll get you out," **Zenka said, walking over to the hole. Holding up Zangetsu, he imbedded the sword into the dirt wall. **"****_Zangetsu, _**_**watashi tsukamimasu! (Grab onto me!)"**_

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning connected the handle of the sword with Zenka's hand. Using it as a sort of climbing rope, Zenka climbed down into the hole and reached out to Taguchi.

"**Grab my hand," **he commanded. Taguchi gratefully did so.

"**Ooohhh… thank you, Zenka-san," **Taguchi cried. **"I owe you my life."**

"_**Zangetsu, de watashitachi o hikimodoshimasu! (Pull us back in!)," **_Zenka commanded.

The lightning connected to the handle of the sword began to retract, pulling Zenka and Taguchi back through the hole and to safety. Taguchi let out a few pants as he was back on solid ground.

"**That was a close one," **he gasped.

"**Geez, you know how to make people fret," **Naho complained.

"**At least you're not hurt anywhere," **Sayaka said.

Aiko glanced over at Zenka, who removed Zangetsu from the dirt wall.

"**That was impressive how you made your sword do that, ****Shinojin****-kun," **she said.

"**Well, the sword is an extension of myself, in a way," **Zenka explained. **"We've become so close together, it's almost like we can anticipate what the other needs."**

"**I see," **Aiko said.

"**Well, while I was hanging out down there," **Taguchi cut in. **"I just happened to notice something."**

"**What is it?" **Naho inquired.

"**To think that Sachiko took all of her energy to dig this hole and put those bamboo spikes there… it tickles my heart a little bit," **Taguchi replied.

The sound of crickets could be heard as everyone stared at Taguchi. Aiko let out an incredulous giggle.

"**Shougo-san is becoming more and more of a piece of trash person," **she said.

"**And that hole was most definitely made by Yoshikazu, who was ordered by Sachiko," **Inumaru pointed out.

"**Taguchi-san, you're disgusting," **Naho said venomously.

"**I'm sorry. I just thought I'd say it," **Taguchi replied.

"**No… you're weird," **Zenka said.

"**Well, then, let's leave this insect and get moving," **Naho replied.

"**Insect?!" **Taguchi screeched.

"**You're right," **Sayaka agreed. **"After all, we haven't found a singer proper question to the quiz yet, either."**

"**Best to hurry along then," **Inumaru suggested.

"**I hope there's no time limit on this whole ordeal," **Aiko retorted.

Everyone began walking away, leaving Taguchi and Zenka behind.

"**I'm sorry!" **Taguchi apologized, running after them. **"Please don't leave me here!"**

Zenka stood in the hallway for a moment, before letting out a sigh.

"**And this is the crap I get stuck wiping up," **he grumbled. **"What did I do wrong in a past life?"**

Shaking his head, he followed the Paulownia group down the hall.

* * *

After wondering through the complicated hall structures, the group came to a door that seemed to lead into a different room. However, there were weird sounds coming from within. Zenka placed a finger up to his lips, silencing the group. Silent as can be, he walked over and peered inside. He could see a group of six youma inside the room, drinking the blood from the buckets and tearing bits of old flesh apart.

Muttering silently to himself, Zangetsu suddenly began to buzz with electricity.

"**What's going on?" **Naho asked.

"**There's a pack of youma in there," **Zenka replied. **"Fortunately, I have a way of getting rid of them in one shot."**

Zangetsu's power reached full bore, and Zenka began to power up a spell himself. As his hands began to gather with electricity, he stepped out and threw the sword into the room, the blade sticking into the ground. The youma looked at the sword in confusion as Zenka finished powering up his spell.

"_**ZANGETSU, SŪPĀ RAIHA! (SUPER LIGHTNING BLADE!)"**_

Suddenly, a thundercloud appeared above the imbedded sword, and a bolt of lightning struck the blade's handle.

"**Everybody down!" **Zenka shouted, taking cover next to the wall with everyone else. Suddenly, the entire room was filled with lightning, as the youma within screamed in their death throes. Lightning bolts flashed out of the door before finally disappearing.

Standing up and taking a peek inside, Zenka could see that all of the youma had been disintegrated, turned into piles of ash on the floor.

"**It's clear," **Zenka said.

As everybody walked into the room, they let out a disgusted gasp as the smell of blood and rotten flesh fill their nostrils. Hooks hung from the wall, several tables were set up in the room and were caked with blood, as were the walls on all sides.

"**A torture room," **Zenka observed as he walked up and pulled Zangetsu out of the ground.

"**This room is terrible," **Inumaru said, pinching his nose. **"Is there really a quiz hidden in a place like this?"**

"**I don't know," **Aiko replied. **"But the paper says there are no questions to the quiz in the halls, so the only other option is to check every room we come across, right?"**

"**Although, I'm not really up for that, to be honest," **Naho admitted.

"**Oh, why is that?" **Aiko inquired. **"This is such a brilliant room, though."**

"**This looks like a brilliant room to you, Niwa-san?!" **Taguchi exclaimed.

"**Yes, indeed," **Aiko replied. **"I can feel a strong sense of hatred and evil spirits in here. In this very room, so many young sheep have already lost their lives! Hahaha, I can already start to hear the death throes already!"**

"**What a disturbing hobby," **Naho said with disgust.

Sayaka looked around the room, feeling a bit of recognition.

"**Sayaka, you've been here before too?" **Naho asked.

"**Yeah," **Sayaka responded.

Zenka cleared his throat.

"**I know this place reeks with death, but need I remind you what we need to do?" **the onyx Knight asked. He held up the digital display, still showing a red glow to it with a '-40' on the readout. **"If you guys are gonna get yourselves out of this hole, you need to find some questions."**

"**Well, for the time being, we seem to be relatively safe," **Naho replied.

"**Seems like it," **Inumaru acknowledged.

"**Well then, let's take our time and thoroughly investigate this room for a quiz question," **Aiko suggested.

"**Or more," **Zenka warned. **"I sense that this room holds several questions. Search everywhere for them."**

Nodding at Zenka's voice, the Paulownia group began searching the room.

After a few minutes, Inumaru looked up from what he was doing and glanced over at Sayaka.

"**Sayaka!" **he called over. Sayaka popped her head up.

"**What is it?" **she inquired.

"**Well," **Inumaru began. **"I don't really know how to say this, but I was thinking there might be a quiz hidden within your uniform."**

"**What?!" **Sayaka screeched.

"**No, even still, since you answered a quiz, there might be an evil spirit that has attached itself to you!" **Inumaru continued. **"Let me check it out for you!"**

"**What?! Hey, stop it!" **Sayaka yelled as Inumaru grabbed her uniform. **"Don't touch me!"**

"**No need to be shy about it!" **Inumaru exclaimed.

"**Yah… damn it! Die!" **Sayaka roared as she reached up and slapped the daylights out of Inumaru, stopping him in his tracks and causing him to hold his face in pain. **"Don't fuck around with me, you pervert!"**

"**What on Earth are you guys doing?" **Naho asked with a sigh.

"**Acting like a couple of nimrods, I think," **Zenka replied.

As he finished rubbing the pain from his face, Inumaru looked down and noticed something floating in the bucket full of blood.

"**Huh? What is that paper sunk in there?" **he wondered out loud, pulling the folded piece of paper out.

"**You found something?" **Zenka asked, drawing everyone's attention to Inumaru.

"**Yeah, looks like I found a question," **Inumaru replied.

"**Our first one," **Aiko noted.

"**Whoa… it's soaked in blood," **Taguchi pointed out. **"There's a quiz written on that, too?"**

"**Seems so," **Inumaru said. **"I can just read it. Let's see…"**

_Bonus Quiz!_

"**Ah, you've found one of the bonus questions," **Zenka replied. **"This won't cost you anything if you get it wrong, but I'd think it'd be a good idea to get those points right now."**

"**Right," **Inumaru agreed. Looking back down, he read the contents of the paper.

_How many buckets are there in this room?_

Suddenly, there was a beeping noise. Everyone looked up at Zenka's digital readout. It had changed to a blue color, and was flashing with the readout '10.00' before suddenly beginning to count down.

"**It's a timed question, Inumaru," **Zenka warned.

"**A time limit?!" **Taguchi yelled.

"**Right," **Zenka said. **"What's your answer, Inumaru?"**

Breathing heavily, Inumaru quickly glanced around the room as the clock ticked down. With scant seconds to spare, he gave his final answer.

"**Ummmmm… 10?!" **Inumaru blurted out.

Everyone waited in suspense, and then…

_Cha-Ching!_

The familiar cash register sound echoed throughout the room, indicating a correct response.

"**Congratulations, Inumaru. That's correct," **Aiko said.

Inumaru breathed a sigh of relief.

"**Thank God. That was a close one," **he sighed.

"**Since this was a bonus question, we get 50 points," **Aiko announced.

"**50 points? That much?!" **Inumaru exclaimed.

"**Yep," **Aiko confirmed.

Just then, the cash register noise sounded once again. Zenka held the digital readout up, and it had changed from red to a green color, and the readout now read '010'. He looked up at everyone with a smile.

"**Congratulations, everyone," **Zenka said. **"You're officially on the board."**

"**Alright!" **Inumaru cheered. **"Sayaka, Saenoki-san, Taguchi-kun, did you hear that?! 50 points! We're finally on our way!"**

"**Alright!" **Naho yelled enthusiastically.

"**You're amazing, Inumaru!" **Sayaka shouted with glee.

"**Huh?!" **Inumaru grunted, not sure he heard what he thought he heard.

_**(Hysteric Birthday's Oozing with Sex Appeal begins playing in the background)**_

Suddenly, both Naho and Sayaka grabbed each of Inumaru's arms.

"**With that, we're a step closer to saving Sensei!" **Naho said. **"Well done, Inumaru-kun!"**

"**50 points is a big achievement! I'm proud of you, Inumaru!" **Sayaka beamed.

Inumaru swallowed heavily at Sayaka's words, and he could feel some heat beginning to escape from his undershirt.

'_Wow, to think that I would be praised by Sayaka!' _he thought. _'Actually, to think that I would be hugged by Sayaka one day! On top of that, to be able to see Saenoki-san this happy… it's a rather rare sight, isn't it?'_

However, he found that he really couldn't think of anything to do in this situation.

'_But… I can't really bring myself to do anything! I was totally unprepared for this! I guess with the actually act of Sayaka latching onto me, my whole body and brain just freezes up…!'_

"**Let's keep riding this wave and getting those points!" **Naho declared.

"**You're right, Naho-tan! Let's do our best!" **Sayaka encouraged.

'_Also, why do I feel so nervous?' _Inumaru thought.

"**Well, what do you think, Inumaru?" **Zenka asked.

"**Uh… well…" **Inumaru began, feeling unusually nervous. **"That definitely sounds good to me, as well."**

Sayaka then realized that she was hugging Inumaru's arm, and quickly detached herself with a yelp. She glared at him, but her eyes softened when she realized that he was blushing, and he was letting out small nervous chuckles.

"**Well, then," **Inumaru said, trying to regain his composure. **"Shall we continue?"**

As he continued to search throughout the room, Sayaka walked up to Naho, a confused look on her face.

"**Is it just me, or did Inumaru seem really nervous around us?" **Sayaka asked. **"Like, out of character type nervousness."**

"**I don't think he was expecting such high praise from you or me, Sayaka," **Naho explained. **"He's been so used to getting abuse from you, that I think getting high praise from you, as well as a hug, completely caught him off guard and out of his comfort zone, so much so that he didn't know what to do."**

"**Hmmm… interesting…" **Sayaka mumbled.

As Inumaru checked the locker next to the wall, he discovered another piece of folded up paper on the floor of it.

"**Hey, I've found another piece of paper in here," **Inumaru called out. **"There's a question on it, too."**

Everyone was quick to run up to him.

"**What does it say?" **Naho asked.

"**Let's see…" **Inumaru mumbled, reading the note.

_Who comes to mind when I say 'Pee-Girl'?_

Sayaka let out a small gasp. Inumaru scratched his chin in confusion.

"**Pee-Girl? What the hell does that mean?" **Inumaru asked.

"**Yeah, I don't get it either," **Naho said.

"**Well… it means just what it says," **Taguchi replied.

"**I think it means a girl that is known for peeing," **Aiko added.

"**But if you're alive, everyone pees, don't they?" **Naho asked in confusion.

"**No, that's not quite what it means," **Taguchi interjected.

"**Then what exactly does it mean?" **Naho prodded.

"**Well…" **Taguchi began, unsure how to properly word what to say. **"If I explain this, then I have a feeling I'm gonna get dirty looks from it." **He glanced over at Inumaru. **"Alright, Inumaru-kun, I'm passing the baton off to you."**

"**I'm sorry," **Inumaru apologized after a small pause. **"I've never heard of that term before in my life."**

"**Bullshit!" **Taguchi yelled. **"What was that little pause just then?!"**

"**I don't know what it means, either, so please, tell us, Taguchi-san," **Inumaru replied.

"**Inumaru-kun, it's not fair taking the nice kid route out!" **Taguchi complained.

"**Just tell us already, Taguchi-san," **Naho interjected. **"If we don't get the meaning of the question, we'll be stuck here forever."**

"**That's right," **Aiko agreed with a giggle. **"Please tell us already."**

"**This should be interesting," **Zenka chuckled. Taguchi sighed in defeat.

"**A… pee-girl… is a girl known to be a part of an event holding onto their own pee for an exorbitant amount of time, and/or peeing themselves in the end," **Taguchi explained.

Sayaka shivered at his explanation, while Naho gave a disgusted sigh.

"**Why do you know something like that, Taguchi-san?" **Inumaru asked incredulously. **"I can't believe you!"**

"**Damn it! That's why I didn't want to say it!" **Taguchi shouted. Aiko giggled in response.

"**Speaking of which, Sayaka-Chan has been rather quiet recently, but is something the matter?" **she asked, directing her gaze over the red-haired girl in question.

"**N-No… it's nothing…" **Sayaka stuttered. Naho looked at her with a concerned gaze.

"**Don't tell me, you're feeling sick?" **she asked. **"No need to force yourself."**

"**Y-Yeah, thanks…" **Sayaka replied shakily.

"**So, who do you think this 'pee-girl' is, everyone?" **Naho inquired.

"**Hmmm… I can't think of anyone in particular, but it's probably someone who was brought here to Heavenly Host Elementary," **Taguchi surmised.

"**If that's the case, then Niwa-san and I have no idea," **Inumaru sighed.

"**Indeed," **Aiko giggled. Naho then snapped her fingers.

"**Ah… Come to think of it, I've seen Yuka-Chan holding in her pee before," **Naho remembered.

"**Yuka-Chan… the small girl with the blue uniform on, right?" **Taguchi asked.

"**Right, from Kisaragi," **Zenka added. **"A member of Packer's group."**

"**I can only think of her, but can anyone think of anybody else?" **Naho asked.

After a long period of silence, Sayaka let out a small sigh.

"**Yes," **she almost whispered. Naho looked at her questioningly.

"**You know someone, Sayaka?" **Naho inquired.

"**Me," **Sayaka admitted.

"**Huh?" **Naho uttered with confusion.

"**I-I only think so, okay?" **Sayaka said. **"But since the question was in that locker, I'm guessing the answer might be… me…"**

"**Huh?!" **Naho repeated, a little louder.

"**So… ummmmm… what you're saying is…" **Taguchi began.

"**Perhaps it means… Sayaka-Chan has peed herself in that locker before?" **Aiko asked.

Sayaka groaned with embarrassment.

"**B-B-But there was a lot of unexplainable things happening in front of me… and I…" **she tried to get out.

"**It's no problem, Sayaka!" **Inumaru interjected.

"**Eh?" **Sayaka uttered in confusion.

"**That kind of Sayaka is totally okay, too!" **Inumaru continued. **"I love it! That's so moe! I could even start liking pee-girls from now on!"**

"**You… ****_UNDELICATE BASTARD!" _**Sayaka roared, winding up and smacking Inumaru across the face once again, causing the smile to fall from his face.

"**Well, I guess he got over his embarrassment," **Zenka laughed.

"**W-Why, Sayaka…" **Inumaru whispered sadly. Taguchi chuckled.

"**Inumaru-kun, you really have no idea how women work," **he said.

"**I can't accept that kind of sentence from the likes of you," **Inumaru countered, eliciting a gasp from Taguchi.

"**So, is the answer Sayaka-Chan, or is it Yuka-Chan?" **Aiko asked. **"Or is it a totally different answer altogether? Is there anybody else that may come to mind?"**

"**Now that I think about it, at Heavenly Host one time, I unfortunately saw Taguchi taking a pee," **Naho grumbled.

"**Yeah… I kind of remember that..." **Taguchi mumbled with embarrassment.

"**So, we have three candidates," **Aiko noted. **"Yuka-Chan, Sayaka-Chan, and Shougo-kun."**

"**Alright, Inumaru, it's up to you," **Zenka said. **"Who is it?"**

Inumaru crossed his arms and thought about it.

'_As much as I'd like to answer Sayaka,' _he thought. _'She doesn't seem to be too fond of being known as a pee-girl, and we all know Taguchi isn't a girl... So, I'll go with the only other solid option available.'_

"**The answer is Yuka-Chan!" **Inumaru declared.

"**Correct. Plus 20 points then," **Aiko announced.

The cash register noise sounded again, and the digital readout on Zenka's arm now flashed with green numbers that read '030'.

"**30 points down," **Zenka said. **"397 to go."**

"**Alright, that was correct!" **Naho beamed.

"**Good going, Inumaru-kun!" **Taguchi said.

"**Thank God, right, Sayaka?" **Inumaru asked. **"You didn't get categorized into pee-girls!"**

"**This… this is just…" **Sayaka mumbled. Inumaru grunted in confusion. **"Then that means I just revealed my embarrassing secret for nothing!"**

She wound back and punched Inumaru, knocking him off his feet.

"**Ouch…" **Inumaru groaned. Sayaka huffed in defiance.

"**It seems Sayaka-Chan is really embarrassed. How cute," **Aiko giggled.

"**Alright, enough playing around," **Zenka declared. **"I'm sensing at least one more question lurking around in here somewhere."**

As they were searching, Inumaru glanced down and noticed something written on the bloody table in front of him.

"**Hey… it looks like there's something written here," **Inumaru noticed.

Everyone came over to the table. It was covered in kanji writings.

"**You're right," **Naho said. **"It's written in blood."**

"**Written in blood?!" **Sayaka exclaimed. **"Ewww…"**

"**Let's see what it says…" **Inumaru said, glancing at the question.

_Out of all the students from Byakudan High School, who was the first person to discover the Sachiko Ever After Charm?_

"**It seems like it's a bonus question," **Aiko noted. **"If we get this correct, we'll get quite a big point bonus."**

"**Whoa!" **Sayaka exclaimed **"Then we got to do our best to answer this, then!"**

"**To begin with, where the hell is Byakudan High School?" **Taguchi asked.

"**Hmm… Naho-tan, do you know?" **Sayaka inquired.

"**I'm pretty sure it's the school that Kizami Yuuya is a student of," **Naho replied.

"**You mean the tall guy with the long dark hair," **Taguchi noted.

"**Then that means that one of the girls that were near him is the answer," **Inumaru said.

"**How so?" **Sayaka asked.

"**Usually, girls are the ones who are into charms and stuff like that," **Inumaru replied.

"**Yeah, that's true," **Sayaka admitted.

"**I'm certain there were three girls," **Naho interjected. **"Does anyone know the names of those girls?"**

Everyone fell silent for a second.

"**Sorry, Naho-tan," **Sayaka muttered. **"They were cute girls, but I didn't get the chance to check them out for myself."**

"**Same here," **Taguchi said.

"**I see…" **Naho replied. Aiko let a small sly smile grace her lips.

"**Are you in trouble, perhaps?" **she asked. Naho gave a sideways glance at Aiko.

"**Don't tell me," **she muttered. **"You know the names?"**

"**Indeed," **Aiko answered. **"I don't know the answer to the quiz, but I do know the full names of the three girls in question at the moment."**

"**Wow," **Sayaka admired. **"As expected of Aiko-san!"**

"**Thank you," **Aiko giggled.

"**So, what are their names?" **Naho asked.

"**Oh, my, don't tell me you've forgotten?" **Aiko replied. **"I'm selling information here, Naho-Chan. There's no way I'm going to give it to you for free."**

Naho glared at Aiko as if she were a monster herself.

"**Even at a time like this?!" **she exclaimed.

"**Oh, good grief…" **Zenka sighed.

"**Does anybody have anything that will be equal in worth for this information?" **Aiko continued. **"I don't mind it being money, but I'll be happier if it were a paranormal tool of some sort."**

"**Well, I've got holy water and spiritual cards, but will that do?" **Inumaru asked.

"**I'm all stocked up on that kind of stuff," **Aiko replied.

"**Thought so," **Inumaru sighed. **"Sayaka, Saenoki-san, do you have anything?"**

"**I have nothing," **Naho replied.

"**Me, too," **Sayaka seconded. Aiko giggled.

"**Then I guess I can't give you this information," **she said in a mocking tone. **"What shall we do?**

Zenka let out an aggravated sigh.

"**I might have something for your greedy ass, Aiko," **Zenka growled. Aiko raised an eyebrow at the onyx Knight.

"**Oh, and what's that?" **she inquired. Zenka held up what appeared to be a small dagger with an onyx blade.

"**Just in case we run out of mana power, the Covenant forges these daggers for us as backup," **Zenka explained. **"These daggers are imbued with the power of our respective element, except in Packer's case, in which he uses all eight. In my case, I use onyx daggers, which are imbued with the power of Lightning. While not paranormal, they are supernatural, since they use one of the eight elements that make up our universe."**

"**My," **Aiko gasped. **"You're willing to exchange this for information?"**

"**Well, if you're happy with something like this, then yeah," **Zenka replied. **"But I'll only give this to you if you solemnly swear to keep it safe. A weapon like this, especially with the power of Lightning, can be dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands."**

"**Understood," **Aiko replied, a serious look on her face. With reluctance, Zenka passed the dagger into Aiko's waiting hands.

"**Now, I've held up my end of the bargain," **Zenka said. **"It's time for you to do the same."**

"**Of course," **Aiko replied. **"The names of the girls from Byakudan High School are Urabe Emi, Kirisaki Tohko, and Yamamoto Mitsuki."**

"**Got it," **Naho said. **"Is there any way we can figure out who it is based on the names?"**

"**I don't have any more information that could be useful here, unfortunately," **Aiko sighed.

"**Looks like we have no clues based off the name alone," **Sayaka pointed out.

"**Alright, Inumaru-kun," **Naho began. **"As the finder of the question, we'll let you answer this one on instincts."**

"**Instincts, huh?" **Inumaru replied. **"Okay… I'll give it a shot."**

After thinking about it for a minute, he made up his mind.

"**Alright. My best guess would be… Urabe Emi!" **Inumaru declared. Aiko glanced down at the table, and she let out a surprised gasp as the answer revealed itself.

"**Oh, my goodness," **she gasped. **"That's correct."**

"**_ALRIGHT!" _**Inumaru shouted with excitement.

"**Congratulations. That's 50 points," **Aiko said.

After the tale tell cash register noise, the readout on Zenka's arm now showed '080' in green numbers.

"**80 points down, 347 to go," **Zenka said.

"**It seems that even Inumaru can be useful sometimes," **Sayaka beamed. **"You did well!"**

"**Thank you, Sayaka!" **Inumaru beamed back. **"I'll just pretend I didn't hear the 'even Inumaru' part."**

"**If you really did just answer from wits, then you have rather good luck," **Naho admired.

"**It may seem so," **Aiko agreed. **"I think it's quite cool that you can do something like that in a time and place like this."**

"**Well," **Inumaru began, his cheeks flaring from Aiko's compliment. **"It was thanks to Niwa-san's accurate information."**

"**I'll always give you accurate information as long as you give me something of equal value," **Aiko giggled.

'_And if only she was more friendly to us, she would be of so much more help,' _Inumaru thought. _'She's such a mysterious person.'_

Suddenly, Sayaka started to feel a bit queasy, which Inumaru noticed immediately.

"**Sayaka, what's wrong?" **he asked, concerned.

"**I'm starting to feel a little bit sick…" **Sayaka replied.

"**It can't be helped, since we've been in this room for so long," **Naho noted. **"Let's start to move out of here."**

"**I just checked outside, and there seems to be a restroom not far from here," **Taguchi said. **"Want to head over there?"**

"**Yes, let's go," **Naho replied.

Zenka unsheathed Zangetsu, and the group made their way out of the blood spattered room and back out into the hallway, bound for the restroom.

* * *

As the men waited outside, Sayaka exited her stall, her face still a bit pale, but she was feeling a bit better. Naho walked toward her with a worried look on her face.

"**Sayaka, are you alright?" **Naho asked, concerned.

"**Yeah," **Sayaka replied. **"I feel a lot better after I threw up."**

"**But you still look quite pale," **Aiko pointed out.

"**I'll be fine," **Sayaka assured. **"I'll be feeling better soon."**

"**No need to be overconfident about it," **Naho retorted.

"**I'm not being overconfident about it," **Sayaka said. **"Don't worry about it."**

"**Alright," **Naho conceded. **"But just to be safe, we should rest here. Let's make Inumaru-kun, Taguchi-san and Zenka-san wait outside for the time being."**

"**Yeah. Just for a little bit, then," **Sayaka agreed.

"_**KAMINARI BURASUTO! (LIGHTNING BLAST!)"**_

The sound of lightning echoed outside the bathroom, as well as the screams of pain of a dying youma.

"**These things just won't learn, will they?" **Zenka shouted. Sayaka giggled as she heard his voice outside.

"**Zenka is very committed to helping us, isn't he?" **she said.

"**It is his job, after all," **Aiko replied. Sayaka glanced up at Naho with a solemn look.

"**I'm… sorry, Naho-tan," **she apologized. Naho arched an eyebrow in response.

"**For what?" **she asked.

"**I've experienced so many scary things with you, and yet I still can't get used to it all," **Sayaka explained. **"I'm causing so much trouble for everyone for sure."**

"**You're not causing trouble at all," **Naho retorted. **"And besides, the supernatural energy in Heavenly Host Elementary is a first for me, too. Nobody will blame you for not getting used to it at all."**

**"But, Naho-tan and Aiko-san are so calm about everything," **Sayaka pointed out.

"**I've been in way more situations like this, and Aiko is just a weird person, so I don't think it's a good idea to use her to compare yourself to," **Naho chuckled.

"**Oh, really?" **Aiko countered. **"I think Sayaka-Chan should hurry and get used to it already."**

"**Aiko, get a clue, will you?" **Naho sighed. Aiko giggled in response.

"**I can't help it," **she replied. **"It's so cute seeing Sayaka-Chan fluster over Naho-Chan."**

"**Don't tease Sayaka with that kind of lame excuse," **Naho growled.

"**Your angry face is cute as well," **Aiko giggled.

"**Naho-tan, I'll be fine," **Sayaka reassured. **"I think I've gotten used to this side of Aiko-san anyway."**

"**Oh, is that so?" **Aiko sighed. **"How disappointing. I'll have to think of a different strategy."**

Naho sighed in aggravation.

"**I'm sorry, Sayaka," **she apologized. **"Aiko being like this and all."**

"**I'm fine," **Sayaka giggled. **"In any case, Naho-tan, we should go and look for the next question. We can't let Sachiko-Chan do stuff to Kibiki-Sensei, after all."**

"**You're right," **Naho agreed. **"If we find the next room, we'll split up and search."**

"**Hm? Hello, what's this?" **Aiko murmured questioningly as she glanced over in the corner of the room. She walked over and picked something up. It appeared to be a folded piece of paper.

"**What's wrong?" **Sayaka asked.

"**This… it's got a question on it," **Aiko replied.

"**What?!" **Sayaka exclaimed. **"So that means there's a possibility that more questions are hidden in here?"**

"**Seems that way," **Naho replied. **"Inumaru-kun, Taguchi-san, Zenka-san, can you come in?"**

Hearing their names called, the three males in question walked into the restroom.

"**What's wrong? Did something happen?" **Inumaru asked with concern. Taguchi had a blush on his face.

"**Going into a girl's restroom with girls in it," **he began. **"It's rather stimulating… Ow!"**

Taguchi yelped as Zenka smacked him in the back of the head.

"**Stop being a perverted numb nut," **Zenka scorned. **"What seems to be the issue?"**

"**We found a quiz in here," **Naho replied.

"**Really? What does it say?" **Inumaru inquired. Aiko opened the piece of paper and read the question.

_Out of the girls in this room, who has the biggest breasts?_

"**Eh?" **Naho muttered in confusion, while Zenka put a hand up to his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

"**Wow, things just got serious," **Zenka chuckled.

"**What kind of question is that?!" **Sayaka screeched.

"**This is a rather delicate question to some people," **Aiko noted.

"**This is a rather dangerous question to answer for us boys, eh, Inumaru-kun?" **Taguchi asked.

"**Well, I do know that Sayaka is a C-cup," **Inumaru said. Sayaka gasped in surprise. **"So, if Saenoki-san and Niwa-san has a B-cup or less, then then biggest is Sayaka, but what cup size do you girls have?"**

"**How can you be so insensitive like that?!" **Sayaka roared as she reached up and smacked Inumaru in the side of the head. She panted heavily as she tried to calm down. **"I seriously can't stand this guy! What the hell is wrong with you, Inumaru?!"**

"**Calm down, Sayaka," **Naho said. **"Since your size was spilled, I'll tell you guys mine, too. My size is…"**

"**I know it!" **Sayaka interrupted. **"Naho-tan is a C-cup as well!"**

"**Wha…?" **Naho uttered, surprised by Sayaka's knowledge. Sayaka giggled at Naho's reaction.

"**Naho-tan and I have the same cup size, right?" **Sayaka asked.

"**Why do you and Inumaru-kun know what the cup sizes are if you've never even touched them before?" **Taguchi inquired.

"**Naho-tan and I went buying swimsuits together once," **Sayaka explained. **"I checked her size from back then."**

"**Oh, yeah," **Naho replied, a small blush appearing on her face. **"Now that you mention it…"**

Zenka whistled in response.

"**I know everything and anything about Sayaka," **Inumaru interjected. **"Not only do I know her cup size, but I accurately know her measurements for under and the top of her chest, too."**

"**I want to destroy you so badly," **Sayaka growled as Inumaru cowered away from her.

"**Destroy where?!"** he whimpered. Zenka shook his head.

"**It's confirmed. When it comes to girls, and more specifically, Sayaka, this guy is an idiot," **the onyx Knight sighed.

"**So all that's left is Aiko's size," **Naho said.

"**My breast size, huh?" **Aiko giggled, a sly look on her face.

"**Oh, crap. Here we go again…" **Zenka predicted.

"**Well, that information's going to cost you," **Aiko continued. **"I'll start with a million dollars, pay by hand, not to mention in one go as well."**

Naho stared at Aiko as if she was a ghost.

"**Well, that just sounds like a total rip-off!" **Naho shouted.

"**Personal information is especially costly," **Aiko countered. **"If you can't pay me now, then I can't give you any information."**

"**There's no way we can pay that amount!" **Naho yelled. Just then, Sayaka ran up to her and grabbed her by the arm.

"**Naho-tan, Naho-tan, I've got an idea," **Sayaka whispered. Naho turned her ear toward her as Sayaka whispered into it. A sinister smile graced Naho's lips.

"**Alright, let's go ahead with that plan, then," **she agreed. Sayaka nodded.

"**And on that note…" **the red-head began.

"**Take this, Aiko!" **Naho shouted.

"**What?!" **Aiko exclaimed.

Suddenly, Sayaka and Naho ran up and grabbed Aiko by the arms with one hand, and grabbed each of her breasts with the other hand, causing Aiko to gasp in surprise and horror.

_**(Hysteric Birthday's Oozing with Sex Appeal begins playing in the background)**_

Zenka quickly sucked in a breath, before letting out a small laugh.

"**This turned into a different game all of a sudden," **Zenka said to no one particular, before looking toward the person reading this story. **"But I love it. Kids, look away. You're too young to be reading this part of the story."**

_**(AN: More fourth wall breaking lol)**_

"**So, if we touch it like this, we'll know the size right away?" **Naho asked.

"**That's right! Nice idea, huh?" **Sayaka beamed.

"**Hey, stop it!" **Aiko protested as Sayaka and Naho ran their hands over her breasts.

"**Ooh… In any sense, what ridiculous boobs…" **Sayaka admired. **"I'm about to nosebleed…"**

"**They're softer than mine, too," **Naho noted.

"**I know, right?" **Sayaka agreed. **"They're so squishy, it's an amazing feeling!"**

"**Stop it already!" **Aiko pleaded as their hands continued to run across her bust.

"**It's pure bliss, Aiko-san!" **Sayaka swooned. **"It's like my hand is inside Heaven right now!"**

"**While I'm jealous, I have to agree," **Naho retorted. **"I sense an overwhelming energy that far exceeds any ordinary meat bags."**

Zenka continued to hold his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing.

"**Knock it off already, you two!" **Aiko continued to plead.

"**What a wonderful view," **Taguchi sighed in bliss. **"Why do I feel like I'm getting sucked up by the wave of regret when I think to myself 'Oh, why isn't this girl a high school student'?"**

"**By the way," **Inumaru spoke up. **"I'm surprised nobody hasn't noticed that it's pretty easy to see who's got the biggest breasts just from looking at it."**

"**Oh?" **Taguchi muttered. **"I thought in your case, you would totally defend that Sayaka-Chan has the biggest breast size no matter what."**

"**No," **Inumaru sighed. **"In this space with something like that of Niwa-san's, even Sayaka's seem kind of disappointing."**

"**I see," **Taguchi replied.

After a few more seconds, Sayaka and Naho finally released Aiko from their grasp. Sayaka sighed in pure bliss.

"**That was a wonderful experience, wasn't it, Naho-tan?" **Sayaka asked.

"**Yep," **Naho replied. **"I found out the hard way how unfair life can be sometimes."**

"**I've never experienced this kind of humiliation in my life," **Aiko grumbled.

"**Yeah, well, if you had been a little more forthcoming with the information we needed, then this probably wouldn't have happened," **Zenka pointed out. Aiko simply crossed her arms in defiance.

"**Naho-tan, is this what they mean when they say we lost the match, but won the game?" **Sayaka asked. **"To think I could one day witness that kind of reaction from Aiko!"**

"**Indeed," **Naho giggled. **"I feel so good about that, I don't even care about breast sizes anymore."**

Sayaka giggled back in response.

"**And on that note, the answer to the question is Aiko-san!" **Sayaka declared.

"**Correct," **Aiko said bluntly. **"Plus 10 points."**

The cash register noise sounded, and the digital readout on Zenka's arm now read '090' in green numbers.

"**Yay!" **Sayaka beamed.

"**But only 10 points, huh?" **Taguchi remarked.

"**The question was rather easy, after all," **Inumaru said.

"**Good point," **Zenka replied.

"**We'll be alright as long as we keep rolling along like this," **Sayaka said.

"**Well, it would be good if there's a special question in here as well," **Naho sighed.

"**Agreed," **Sayaka replied. **"Special questions have high reward points, after all. Let's try and look for them."**

"**Yeah, you're right," **Naho agreed.

As the group looked around, Sayaka glanced up at the light… and noticed a piece of paper attached to it.

"**Hey," **Sayaka called out. **"Isn't there a piece of paper stuck inside the light?"**

Everyone looked up at the light and noticed the piece of paper as well.

"**You're right," **Naho said. **"But it's too high to reach up there."**

"**I've got this," **Zenka replied, holding Zangetsu up toward the light. _**"Zangetsu, hikari kara ichi-mai no kami o tsukamimasu (Grab the piece of paper from the light)."**_

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning extended from Zangetsu's blade and grabbed the piece of paper. The lightning disappeared, and the folded up paper landed in Sayaka's outstretched hands.

"**Got it!" **Sayaka said as she unfolded the piece of paper. **"Ooh, a super bonus question!"**

"**A super bonus question, eh?" **Zenka repeated. **"This is the one you've been waiting for. If you get this right, it's worth the proverbial shit-ton of points."**

"**Right," **Sayaka replied as she scanned the contents of the paper. **"Let's see here…"**

_Who is standing behind you right now?_

Suddenly, as she finished reading the question, the room went completely dark, causing her to shriek in response.

"**What the hell?!" **Taguchi shouted.

"**It's just a blackout… I think," **Inumaru said. **"Are you alright, Sayaka?"**

"**Oh, no. I can't see," **Sayaka whimpered. **"Why now all of a sudden?! Where are you guys?!"**

"**Calm down, Sayaka," **Naho said. **"It's best not to move around too much. Stay still."**

"**Okay…" **Sayaka whispered.

"**I doubt the blackout will fix itself all of a sudden, in my opinion," **Aiko said.

"**She's right," **Zenka agreed. **"I think this is a part of the question."**

"**Agreed," **Naho replied. **"I think if we answer it, then it'll go back to normal."**

"**By question, you mean the one that asks 'who's standing behind you right now'?" **Sayaka asked.

"**Yes," **Naho agreed. **"And I presume it's from the perspective of the person who read the question out loud."**

"**Wha…" **Sayaka gasped. **"So… me?"**

"**But, that means that there's… no one behind Sayaka, right?" **Inumaru interjected.

"**Yeah… I think so…" **Sayaka murmured. _'Because behind me… is the entrance to the girl's toilets and…' _she thought.

Suddenly, there was a series of knocks sounding in the darkness, causing Sayaka, Taguchi and Inumaru to scream in fright.

"**Naho-Chan! Where are you, Naho-Chan?!" **Sayaka screamed.

"**Sayaka-Chan, it's dangerous to walk around aimlessly in the dark, you know?" **Aiko stated.

"**But… behind me," **Sayaka began. **"There was someone behind me!"**

The knocks sounded once again.

"**Geez!" **Naho complained. **"All because Taguchi-san let out a scream like that!"**

"**Well, that's…" **Taguchi started.

"**Naho-Chan! Are you here?!" **Sayaka yelled, continuing to wander around aimlessly in the dark. Naho gasped as she felt someone run into her, and they both landed on the soft dirt floor of the restroom.

"**Naho-tan!" **Sayaka cried.

"**Sayaka…" **Naho murmured, hearing Sayaka's voice right next to her.

"**I'm so glad," **Sayaka cried. **"I had a feeling that Naho-tan was going to disappear again, and I… I…"**

"**Sayaka…" **Naho whispered.

"**Geez," **Sayaka whimpered. **"I'm never letting you go again!"**

Suddenly, the room was illuminated with light once again.

"**Eh? The lights… came back?" **Sayaka muttered in confusion.

"**Oh, thank God," **Naho sighed. **"Seems like it was just a regular blackout."**

"**Yeah," **Sayaka murmured. **"Thank God, Naho… tan…"**

Her voice trailed off as she realized that she was now lying on top of Naho.

"**What's wrong, Sayaka?" **Naho asked, concerned. **"If you've calmed down, I'd like you to move off me."**

Sayaka let out a few small gasps, causing Naho to wonder what was wrong. Then, all of a sudden, Sayaka's nose started bleeding, and her face turned a cherry red as a wide smile graced her face.

"_**OH, MY GOD!" **_she screamed. **"Naho-tan! It's simply wonderful, fantastic, and marvelous! I love you so much, Naho-tan! You're so sexy, Naho-tan!"**

Zenka let out a wolf whistle at that.

"**Hey!" **Naho protested. **"Sayaka, your nosebleed is gonna drip! In fact, it's already dripping! Hey, Sayaka!"**

"**Ahhh, the opportunity to get covered in Sayaka's nosebleed!" **Inumaru yelled. **"I'm so damn jealous of you, Saenoki-san!"**

**"There was once a time where I thought Sayaka-Chan and Inumaru-kun were normal kids, too," **Taguchi remarked.

"**Kettle, meet pot," **Zenka retorted.

"**So, Sayaka-Chan," **Aiko said. **"Back to the question… who was behind you, anyway?"**

"**Oh, that's right!" **Sayaka remembered, moving off of Naho. **"Umm… well, I thought the toilet door was knocked, but… does that mean someone was outside of it, perhaps? Well… there might have been a ghost there."**

"**A ghost, you say?" **Aiko inquired. Sayaka simply shrugged. Just then, the door to the restroom creaked as it was opened. Everyone gasped as Yoshikazu stepped into view. Inumaru scratched his head in confusion.

"**What is it? Did we break the game rules again?" **Inumaru asked.

Yoshikazu let out a few moans, causing Naho to arch an eyebrow in response.

"**It seems as though he's trying to tell us something," **she noted.

"**Well, I have no clue what he's trying to say," **Inumaru replied.

Yoshikazu let out a few more moans in response.

"**He's definitely trying to tell us something," **Zenka observed.

"**Maybe he's hungry or something?" **Aiko wondered.

"**Maybe he's complaining about where the food is," **Taguchi remarked.

"**In that case, there's no way that… we're going to be eaten… right?" **Sayaka asked.

"**I wouldn't count on it," **Aiko giggled.

Suddenly, a red television appeared behind them, and Sachiko's form appeared on it. She let out a childish giggle.

"**You're all totally wrong!" **she beamed.

"**Sachiko-san!" **Sayaka gasped.

"**The big dummy is saying you guys are rude for not calling him by his name," **Sachiko explained.

"**Really?" **Sayaka asked.

Everyone looked back, and they could see the sad look plastered on Yoshikazu's face.

"**But, I thought a ghost was a ghost…" **Sayaka murmured. Yoshikazu began to wail in response. Sayaka gasped and was quick to run up to him and grabbed him by the arms. **"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it like that!" **Yoshikazu calmed down, but still had a sad look on his face as he gazed down at Sayaka.

"**Try calling him by his actual name," **Sachiko suggested.

"**Um... Let's see... ****His name… was…" **Sayaka murmured, trying to recall Yoshikazu's name. She snapped her fingers as it came back to her. **"Yanagihori Yoshikazu-san, right?"**

Yoshikazu let out a few monkey-like noises in excitement.

"**Seems like he likes it when people call him by his name," **Zenka noted.

"**Correct!" **Sachiko beamed.

"**I just thought of something," **Taguchi spoke up.

"**What?" **Sachiko asked.

"**You tell people to call him by his name, and yet you don't?" **Taguchi inquired. Sachiko tilted her head in confusion. **"I just think that calling him a big dummy or other derivatives is kind of rude, as well."**

"**I'm an exception," **Sachiko said matter-of-factly.

"**Well, I don't look highly on people that tell people to do certain things, but don't do it themselves," **Naho countered.

Sachiko glanced back at Naho with a surprised expression, as silence overtook her. Yoshikazu glanced at the screen in confusion, wondering what was going on.

With a reluctant look, Sachiko turned her gaze over to Yoshikazu.

"…**Yoshikazu," **she murmured.

Yoshikazu's eyes lit up, and he began jumping up and down and grunting in excitement at hearing his master say his name. Aiko let out a small giggle.

"**He seems very happy indeed," **she said.

"**Sachiko-san, your face is a bit red, isn't it?" **Sayaka giggled. Sachiko frowned in embarrassment.

"**Shut up, you idiot! You meanie!" **Sachiko grumbled.

"**Come on, admit it," **Zenka piped in. **"You liked it."**

Sachiko huffed and crossed her arms in defiance.

"**The answer to the question was correct, per se," **Sachiko began. **"But since you called him a ghost instead of the big dummy he is, I'm only going to give you 100 points."**

"**Oh, my," **Aiko sighed. **"If you had gotten the question exactly right, we would've gotten 300 points."**

The cash register noise sounded once again, and the digital readout on Zenka's arm now read '190' in green numbers.

"**Maybe so, but 100 points is still a good chunk of change," **Zenka replied. **"That brings your total to 190 points. Only 237 points to go."**

"**But we could've had 300 points? No way!" **Sayaka exclaimed.

"**Wha… are you sulking because we made fun of you?!" **Naho shouted.

"**Shut up, shut up!" **Sachiko yelled. **"I'm not sulking! It's all my decision, okay?!"**

**"You really are hilarious to watch," **Aiko giggled.

"**Well, I agree with Zenka," **Inumaru chimed in. **"I think even 100 points is a large amount compared to the last couple of questions."**

Naho sighed.

"**Oh, well," **she muttered. **"In any case, Sachiko, hurry up and give Sensei back."**

"**Nope," **Sachiko rejected. **"You have to answer the questions and get to the score, first."**

"**By the way," **Naho began. **"Don't you think the percentage of finding the questions is a little to our disadvantage?" **Sachiko arched an eyebrow at Naho's inquiry. **"If we continue like this, then the day is going to pass by, you know? That means your birthday will end with this quiz. Are you sure you'd be okay with that?"**

"**Naho-tan, I don't think it's a good idea to get Sachiko-san angry," **Sayaka warned.

"**Well, that's because I feel like being cautious with her is starting to get stupid," **Naho countered. **"I just want to hurry up and get Sensei back."**

"**Getting aggressive," **Zenka observed. **"I like it."**

Sachiko scratched her chin as she thought on Naho's words, before looking up at her and nodding.

"**Alright," **Sachiko conceded. **"Then I'll give you the next question right now. 'Where are we hiding right now?' If you can get here without getting lost, I'll give you 40 points."**

Without giving any kind of hint, the television shut off and Sachiko was gone just like that, eliciting a gasp from Naho.

"**She said without getting lost," **Sayaka said. **"But what should we do? This underground bunker is unlike the one I remember walking through."**

"**Indeed," **Aiko agreed.

"**Well, then, I can't lead the way in this situation," **Sayaka admitted.

"**I was also running around aimlessly the last time I was here, so I have no idea where Sensei is either, let alone where we are right now," **Taguchi added.

"**Sensei…" **Naho murmured with worry.

Just then, Yoshikazu let out a small moan, and began walking toward the door. At the door, he turned and briefly looked at the group, before slowly walking out the door and back into the hallway.

"**Looks like he's leaving," **Zenka said.

"**What should we do, Naho-tan?" **Sayaka asked. **"Should we follow him?"**

"**But what if we follow him and it's the wrong path?" **Naho replied. **"Damn it, what are we supposed to do?!"**

"**Are you stressing, Naho-tan?" **Aiko giggled. **"You really do lose all rational thoughts when it involves Kou-Sensei."**

"**Aiko, this is seriously not the time for your bullshit teasing right now," **Zenka growled.

'_This isn't good. Naho-tan is in no state of mind to make a rational decision,' _Sayaka thought.

"**Well, what should we do?" **Taguchi questioned. **"If we don't decide now, there's a possibility that we're gonna lose Yanagihori Yoshikazu!"**

"**Well, I'm not a fan of the big guy," **Sayaka admitted. **"So I don't really want to go with him."**

"**But is there another way of getting to Kou-Sensei?" **Aiko asked.

"**Well," **Sayaka began. **"I don't have any idea, but…"**

After thinking for a minute, the light bulb went off in Inumaru's head.

"**I know!" **he chimed in. **"What about trying to trail Sachiko's spirit energy?"**

"**You can do something like that?" **Taguchi asked.

"**Yeah," **Inumaru answered. **"I may not be able to do it alone, but it should be possible if I use Zenka's sword in conjunction with my own spiritual energy."**

"**Eh?" **Naho grunted in confusion.

"**I'm sure you guys will be able to trace it and find Kibiki-Sensei for us!" **Sayaka encouraged.

After a minute, Naho looked up and nodded, a confident look on her face.

"**Let's do it!" **she said. Inumaru glanced over at Zenka.

"**Zenka, would it be alright if I borrowed your sword for a while in order to find Sachiko?" **he asked. Zenka reached back and unsheathed Zangetsu.

"**That's all up to Zangetsu," **Zenka replied.

"**Okay," **Inumaru said. **"Can you ask Zangetsu for me?"**

"**Of course," **Zenka replied, before looking down at his precious sword. _**"Zangetsu, anata wa Inumaru ni Sachiko to shite shira rete iru seishin o mitsukeru tame ni anata no idaina-ryoku o shiyō suru kyoka o ataeru nodarou ka? (Will you give Inumaru permission to use your great power to find the spirit known as Sachiko?)**_

The sword flashed with lightning for a split second. Zenka looked up with a smile.

"**You have Zangetsu's permission," **Zenka said. He held out Zangetsu to Inumaru, who gingerly took the sword into his hands. **"Don't be afraid. Let Zangetsu guide you to Sachiko."**

"**Okay," **Inumaru replied. He held Zangetsu out in front of him, and the blade began to glow with a light blue energy. Then, it began pulling Inumaru, causing him to walk toward the door.

"**Seems like Zangetsu has found Sachiko's scent," **Zenka chuckled. Naho sighed.

"**I'm sorry for being so hopeless at such an important time," **she said.

"**Don't be, Naho-tan!" **Sayaka encouraged. **"You're always super helpful and important to me!"**

Naho let out a giggle at Sayaka's empowering words.

"**Thank you," **Naho said gratefully, before turning to Inumaru. **"Well then, Inumaru-kun, let's give this a go, shall we?"**

"**Alright!" **Inumaru beamed, before turning his attention back to Zangetsu. **"Lead us on, Zangetsu!"**

The sword pulled on Inumaru, and led him out of the bathroom and into the hallway. The rest of the group followed, while Zenka held back for a second, a small smile on his face.

"**Well, then, t****here's a chance they might actually win this thing, after all…" **he murmured to himself.

* * *

As Zangetsu continued to lead Inumaru down the hallway, the rest of the Paulownia group and Zenka trailed behind him. Then, Zangetsu came to a stop in the middle of the hallway, its blade glowing as bright as ever. The atmosphere around the area seemed to have changed as well.

"**It's here," **Inumaru said as he handed Zangetsu back to Zenka.

"**Seems so," **Naho replied.

As everyone stops in their tracks, the air in front of them shakes, and Sachiko appears from out of nowhere.

"**Oh, you really made it here without getting lost, huh?" **Sachiko inquired.

"**Indeed, we did," **Zenka replied.

"**Sachiko, where's Sensei?" **Naho demanded.

"**He's waiting further up here, okay?" **Sachiko answered.

"**Then hurry up and take us to him!" **Naho exclaimed.

"**No need to fret and worry," **Sachiko retorted. **"But what a shame. I thought for sure that you would have followed the big dummy."**

"**By the way, since we made it here without getting lost, we get 40 points, right?" **Sayaka asked.

"**I know, I know," **Sachiko mumbled. **"Geez, so boring…"**

The cash register sound filled their ears once more, and the digital readout on Zenka's arm now read '230' in green numbers. The group followed Sachiko as she glided down the hall with her levitated body.

"**Come on, over here now!" **Sachiko urged. **"I'll leave you behind if you're dilly-dallying!"**

As everyone followed Sachiko, Naho began to show signs of nervousness.

'_Beyond this hall… is Kibiki-Sensei,' _she thought.

Sachiko led everyone to a room that was filled with dead bodies, some floating in a pool of blood in the middle of the room.

"**A dead pool…" **Zenka observed. Naho suddenly gasped. Standing in the middle of the room, unharmed, was Kou Kibiki.

"**Sensei!" **Naho shouted.

"**Naho-kun!" **Kibiki exclaimed. **"Taguchi-san and the others, too!"**

"**Did Sachiko do anything to you?" **Naho asked. **"Are you hurt anywhere?"**

"**Alright, hold it!" **Sachiko commanded.

As Naho tried to step toward Kibiki, Sachiko moved in between them with a smug grin on her face.

"**Out of the way!" **Naho yelled.

"**No can do!" **Sachiko retorted. She giggled as she snapped her fingers. Suddenly, a force field made of light surrounded Kibiki, effectively cutting him off from the others.

"**Naho-Chan, are you alright?" **Sayaka asked worriedly.

"**Yes, I'm fine," **Naho replied.

"**There's a barrier surrounding Kibiki-Sensei," **Inumaru observed. **"It's not a good idea to get close."**

"**Don't patronize me," **Naho retorted. **"It's just a regular barrier. I'll just rip it down and…"**

"**Stop it, Naho-kun!" **Kibiki pleaded.

As Naho was preparing to take out her holy water, she was stopped in her tracks by Kibiki's tone of voice.

"**Sensei… why…" **Naho questioned.

"**There's no chance fighting against Sachiko here, even for someone like you," **Kibiki said.

"**But…" **Naho tried to object.

"**I don't want to see you get hurt," **Kibiki continued. **"I'll be fine, so don't worry."**

"**Yeah, Naho-tan!" **Sayaka agreed. **"It's definitely best to not carelessly jump into a barrier made by the likes of Sachiko-san!"**

Naho sighed as Sayaka's words echoed in her brain.

'_She does have a point,' _she thought. '_As the two of them said, my spiritual energy is nowhere near that of Sachiko's. I don't think that will change, even if I combine it with Sayaka's or even Zenka's, for that matter.'_

As Naho looked down in regret, Sachiko lets out a gleeful laugh.

"**Don't look so down, Naho!" **she boasted. **"If you get to the target score of 427 points, then I'll give you guys back Kibiki, no harm done."**

Letting out a sigh, Naho glanced up at Zenka.

"**How many points do we have, Zenka?" **she asked. For an answer, Zenka held up his left arm. The digital readout still read '230' in green numbers.

"**230 points," **Zenka replied. **"That means you still need 197 points to win the quiz."**

"**Don't worry," **Sachiko interjected. **"The question I'm going to give you now is gonna be the last one."**

"**The last question," **Naho repeated.

"**That means we still have a chance," **Taguchi said. **"Thank God!"**

"**You say last question, but what does it entitle?" **Sayaka inquired.

"**This will be different than all the other questions," **Sachiko explained. **"If everybody here gives the same answer, then I'll give you 200 points for getting the correct answer. But if even one person answers differently, then you lose 500 points! Well? Sounds fun, right?"**

Zenka whistled in response.

"**Well, the pressure's on now, boys and girls," **he chuckled.

"**You said everybody, so I'm guessing I'm a contestant as well?" **Kibiki asked.

"**Of course," **Sachiko answered.

"**And I'm guessing we aren't allowed to discuss our answers to each other, right?" **Naho inquired.

"**Well, if I allowed that, there wouldn't be much point to the quiz, would it?" **Sachiko replied.

"**Good shot," **Naho mumbled. **"Fair enough. Alright, give us the quiz."**

"**Alright, here is your final question," **Sachiko said. **"The question is 'If only one person can survive out of everybody here, then who would deserve it the most'?"**

"**Huh?!" **Naho exclaimed in shock.

"**I'll give you all three minutes to come up with an answer," **Sachiko said. **"Good luck!"**

The digital readout on Zenka's arm turned blue, and it now showed a readout of '3:00' before it slowly began to count down.

'_What is this question?' _Naho thought.

Everybody glanced at each other with worried eyes, unable to come up with an answer.

'_If I had to choose one person worthy of surviving, I would definitely choose Sensei,' _Naho thought. _'But I doubt that everybody else would answer in the same way.'_

"**Only one person?" **Sayaka whispered to herself. **"That's just…"**

'_Sayaka is a kind-hearted person,' _Naho continued to think. _'She'll most likely pick me. Thank you.'_

"**This question breeds some terrible feelings," **Inumaru mumbled.

'_Inumaru-kun will most definitely answer with Sayaka,' _Naho thought. _'To him, there is only Sayaka after all.'_

"**This is a rather difficult question…" **Kibiki murmured.

'_I wonder who Sensei will answer,' _Naho thought. _'Perhaps he'll say I'll survive…'_

"**Hmm… seems we're in a bit of a pickle here," **Taguchi mumbled.

'_And I have a feeling that Taguchi-san is going to say Sensei as well, but…' _Naho thought.

Aiko let out a small giggle.

"**This atmosphere is very distressing and uncalming," **Aiko said. **"I personally love these kinds of situations."**

'_Aiko will almost definitely answer herself,' _Naho thought irritably. _'She's the next person after Inumaru-kun that is completely obvious.'_

The gears in her brain were turning at lightning speed as she continued to think about the question. _'Thinking about it like this, nobody is gonna answer Inumaru-kun or Taguchi-san, so it's safe to take those two out of the equation for the time being. So that means that all of our answers have to match with either Sensei, Sayaka, myself, or Aiko… but…'_

"**In any case, this is a rather interesting quiz," **Aiko said. **"I think the key to answering this question lies in how you perceive the part 'deserves to stay alive'. Does it perhaps mean a person that will be best suited to lead the next generation, or maybe it means the person who is most looked up to in here?"**

"**I think the point of this question is to get that meaning together and answer the same question, but…" **Taguchi began, but was cut off by Sachiko.

"**Didn't I tell you that no discussions are allowed?" **she warned.

"**Oh, I'm sorry," **Aiko apologized. **"I was just talking to myself, that's all."**

"**I don't think… I'll be able to answer this question…" **Sayaka murmured. Naho looked up in surprise at Sayaka.

'_I thought for sure she would choose me, though…' _Naho thought.

"**Well, if I were to choose this 'one person'," **Sayaka continued. **"And he or she survives and everybody else dies, I think that person is going to get sad and lonely that they're the only one left. If I'm going to feel sad anyway, I would just let somebody else take my place instead…"**

"**Sayaka…" **Naho whispered.

Sachiko looked up at Sayaka with a tilted glance.

"**Hmmm… was that you talking to yourself as well?" **she inquired.

"**Y-Yeah," **Sayaka nodded timidly.

"**Can I ask one thing?" **Inumaru spoke up.

"**What is it?" **Sachiko asked.

"**I was just thinking," **Inumaru began. **"Are you included in this as a participant as well?"**

Inumaru's inquiry elicited a gasp from Naho's diaphragm.

"**Sachiko is a participant?!" **she exclaimed. Sachiko let out a small laugh.

"**I'm glad you answered," **Sachiko boasted. **"Remember me saying 'If **_**EVERYBODY **_**answers the same person'? So I'm part of this quiz as well."**

"**Well, this just had a monkey wrench thrown into the whole damn works," **Zenka commented.

'_Hmmm… so Sachiko is a part of the quiz as well,' _Naho thought. And then, the light bulb went off in her head. _'Then that must be the answer. I just hope everybody else is thinking the same thing.'_

"**I've decided," **Naho declared.

"**I have as well," **Kibiki said.

Naho looked over at Sensei, and they both nodded in agreement. Everybody else exchanged glances and nodded also, including Aiko.

"**Aiko, please answer whilst taking the hint here," **Naho said. Aiko giggled in response.

"**You say rather difficult things, Naho-Chan," **she replied. **"You know very well that I'm bad at 'taking the hint', right?"**

"**Then how about this?" **Naho retorted. **"If you take the hint, then I'll give you the location of where the victims dropped their diaries."**

Aiko's eyes lit up at that.

"**Oh, really?" **she said with interest. **"Well, then, I'll have to do my very best."**

Just then, the digital readout on Zenka's armed beeped, signifying that 30 seconds remained.

"**It's almost three minutes," **Sachiko warned. **"Is everybody ready with their answers?"**

"**Yes, we're fine," **Naho replied.

"**Okay, then," **Sachiko said. **"We'll answer on set! I'm going to answer, too!" **Naho took a deep breath and counted her blessings. **"Ready, set…!"**

As the counter ticked the final seconds away, everybody stayed silent. Then, the counter hit zero, signifying the end of time for the question. Nobody had said a word. Sachiko looked up at everyone in confusion.

"**What?" **Sachiko murmured. **"Why isn't anyone saying anything?"**

"**It's because that's our answer!" **Sayaka replied. **"Right, Naho-tan?"**

"**Yep," **Naho agreed. **"I'm sure everybody was thinking the same thing, right?"**

"**Indeed," **Kibiki answered. **"It truly is a terrible feeling to be the only one left alive."**

"**Yeah! I totally agree with Kibiki-Sensei," **Taguchi chimed in. Aiko giggled.

"**It seems I succeeded in taking the hint, huh?" **she said. Inumaru sighed.

"**It was hard for me to restrain myself from answering Sayaka, but I did it," **Inumaru retorted. Zenka nodded his approval.

"**Very impressive, guys," **he admired. **"Very impressive."**

A look of extreme disappointment found its way onto Sachiko's face.

"**Why? There was no way that you guys could have gotten this correct!" **she complained.

"**Well," **Naho began. **"After I heard that you were going to be a part of the quiz, I figured you would answer in the weirdest way possible. So I wondered who you would possibly answer, and suddenly I came up with the choice of 'no answer', meaning no one deserved to survive."**

"**Well, damn," **Zenka admired. **"Score one for Detective Saenoki over here."**

"**That's my Naho-tan!" **Sayaka beamed. **"You super detective! You're so pretty with your glasses and good looks and… **_**OH, MY GOD!"**_

"**What?! H-Hey, Sayaka!" **Naho said as Sayaka threw her arms around Naho and gave her a big hug. Sayaka giggled as Naho gave her an awkward smile. Kibiki smiled and nodded at them.

"**Geez," **Sachiko complained. **"I can't believe it! It's so boring!"**

"**But we all answered correctly, didn't we?" **Naho said matter-of-factly. Sachiko huffed in response.

"**Well, it can't be helped," **she moaned. **"As much as I dislike it, a promise is a promise. I'll give 200 points."**

"**Alright! We did it, Naho-tan!" **Sayaka shouted with glee.

"**So, what is the final score, Zenka?" **Sachiko asked. Naho gasped and turned toward Zenka, as did everyone else in the room. Just then, the cash register noise sounded one last time, and the digital readout changed. Zenka looked down at it, and then back up at the Paulownia group.

"**Okay. You needed to score 427 points to win the quiz," **Zenka reminded them. **"Your final score is…"**

He paused for dramatic effect, before giving them a big smile and slowly turning his arm to where they could see the digital readout. Everyone gasped as they read the score.

In green numbers, the readout read '430'.

"**430 points!" **Zenka exclaimed. **"You beat the target score by a mere three points! Congratulations, everyone! Well done!"**

"**I didn't think you would get through it, but you can't argue with the results," **Sachiko added.

"**Then… that means…" **Naho realized.

"**Yep," **Sachiko finished. **"I'll set Kibiki free."**

The barrier around Kibiki dissipated, and Naho was quick to run toward him.

"**Naho-kun…" **Kibiki murmured.

"**Sensei!" **Naho cried. She enveloped him in a big hug, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"**I'm so glad," **she cried. **"When I found out that Sachiko might do stuff to you, I just had to stop her… and I… and I…**

"**Thank you, Naho-kun," **Kibiki cooed. **"And thank you, everybody. I'm really happy, knowing that everybody here was giving their all to save me. I truly mean it."**

Tears were beginning to flow down Sayaka's cheeks as well, her heart swelling with happiness as she watched Naho pour her emotions out.

"**I'm so happy for you, Naho-tan. Really," **she murmured. Naho looked back and gave her best friend a very sweet smile.

"**Sayaka… thank you," **she whispered tearfully.

"**Yep, yep!" **Taguchi beamed. **"Nothing beats just giving it a go, right?"**

"**To think we'd actually save him," **Inumaru interjected. **"I was thinking it would be impossible, but we pulled it off!"**

"**Indeed," **Aiko agreed. **"I'm sure it was good luck charms stacking on top of each other, but we have to commend Naho-Chan for her hard work, too."**

"**Oh, you guys…" **Naho cried with joy. Sayaka giggled in response.

"**It makes me happy when I see Naho-tan happy, too," **she beamed. She grabbed her best friend's arm while holding back tears of joy. **"Because you know, Naho-Chan is the cutest when she's smiling! I'm going to protect Naho-tan's smile! I don't want to see a sad Naho-tan even if we lose Kibiki-Sensei!"**

"**Oh, Sayaka…" **Naho swooned at her friend's words. Kibiki laughed with glee.

"**You two really are very close indeed," **he remarked.

"**Of course!" **Sayaka giggled. **"Right, Naho-tan?**

"**Yes," **Naho agreed. **"Sayaka is the closest friend in the world to me."**

Sayaka gasped in pure bliss at Naho's words.

"_**OH, MY GOD!" **_she beamed. **"I'm so happy, Naho-tan! You're the same to me, Naho-tan! In fact, you're more like a lovey-dovey kissey-kissey kind of person to me!"**

"**Alright, alright!" **Naho said with embarrassment. **"Geez, Sayaka…" **Kibiki laughed once more.

"**Ooue-san, please look after Naho-kun from now on as well," **he said.

"**Of course!" **Sayaka acknowledged. **"Please leave it to me!"**

'_From now on…' _Naho thought.

Naho realized what those words meant, and she turned her gaze to Sachiko.

"**You're going to keep your other promise as well, right?" **Naho inquired.

"**You mean where I start everybody off from the same position tomorrow, right?" **Sachiko replied with a giggle. **"I keep my promises no matter what, you know?"**

"**Alright!" **Sayaka exclaimed. **"Naho-tan, I can see you again tomorrow as well!"**

"**Yeah!" **Naho replied.

As they looked toward each other, a sad feeling came over Naho, and she was certain Sayaka was feeling it as well. Even if they did start in the same dimension, they were uncertain if they would see each other again before they died.

'_I… I will definitely meet with Sensei, Sayaka, and even Taguchi-san again, and we'll get out of Heavenly Host Elementary together!' _Naho thought.

Sachiko let out a small giggle, catching Aiko's attention.

"**Is something the matter, Sachiko-san?" **Aiko asked.

"**It's nothing," **Sachiko assured. **"Alrighty then, that's the end of this quiz! I'm gonna return everything back as they were now. I'm going to send Kibiki back to his own dimension, so make sure to say your goodbyes!"**

"**Sensei…" **Naho gasped.

"**Naho-kun, it's alright," **Kibiki assured. **"We'll meet again. I'm sure of it.**

"**Yes…" **Naho agreed.

"**It's goodbye for now, until we meet again," **Kibiki said.

Kibiki came over and hugged Naho, and she was quick to return it.

Zenka, after observing all of this, finally stepped forward.

"**Of course, there's also the possibility of not having to go through Heavenly Host again to meet each other," **he said, drawing everyone's attention to him. **"There's still the possibility of getting out alive, right here, today." **As confusion swept over the group, Zenka then turned to Sachiko. **"Because Packer's second challenge is coming up next, right?"**

Everyone gasped as they remembered what Zenka was talking about.

"**Of course!" **Naho realized. **"Packer-kun is challenging Sachiko to get everyone out alive!"**

Sachiko giggled at Zenka's intuition.

"**You're absolutely correct!" **Sachiko beamed. **"Packer Onii-Chan's next challenge is being set up now as we speak! So, it's time to head back to the auditorium! Thanks for playing!"**

With that, Sachiko snapped her fingers, and everyone disappeared from the dead pool room in a flash of light. The only sound that could be heard was the endless rain pounding on the roof of the school.


	9. Chapter 9: The Chase

DISCLAIMER: CORPSE PARTY AND ITS CHARACTERS ARE OWNED BY TEAM GRISGRIS/GRINDHOUSE. **_MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, RUSH &amp; PACKER, ARE OWNED BY ME._**

**Author's Note: **I apologize for taking so long with this chapter, but I've been busy with work and other projects, and I know that this chapter is a bit shorter than some of the others, but the next chapter is gonna have a lot of meat on the bone, I assure you.

But for now, here is Chapter 9, which chronicles the second of Packer's challenges. Enjoy.

* * *

**_CHAPTER 9: THE CHASE_**

With everyone now situated back in the auditorium, Sachiko turned her attention toward Packer.

"**All right, Packer Onii-Chan," **Sachiko began. **"It's time to begin your next Sachiko Challenge!"**

"**Very well," **Packer said. **"What is the challenge?"**

"**For your second challenge, you won't even need your battle armor," **Sachiko explained. **"This time, I will be putting your driving skills to the test."**

Everyone arched an eyebrow at that.

"**My driving skills? How?" **Packer asked.

Sachiko snapped her fingers, and out of nowhere, a dimensional fissure appeared near where Packer was standing. Packer gasped as he realized that the fissure led back to the real world. Glancing through it, he recognized the city the fissure was showing.

"**This fissure is leading to Long Beach, California," **Packer noted, before turning and glancing at Sachiko. **"Why Long Beach, though?"**

"**Well, it's in your backyard, isn't it?" **Sachiko inquired. **"Besides, it's the perfect platform for your challenge. Have a closer look."**

Packer looked back through the fissure and gasped as he saw the vehicle he was going to be driving: a 2009 Ford Mustang GT, painted emerald green with gold trim.

"**A Mustang? You're letting me drive a Mustang for this challenge?" **Packer asked, looking back at Sachiko with a half smirk.

"**Yes, you are," **Sachiko replied. **"But you won't be alone. To up the ante a little bit, I have chosen a representative from each of the five schools here to ride along with you on this challenge." **Everyone gasped in surprise. **"So not only will your life be on the line, but so will these five representatives. From Kisaragi: Seiko Shinohara, no surprise there."**

"**Yay! I get to ride with Packer-kun!" **Seiko screeched, jumping into Packer's arms.

"**From Paulownia: Naho Saenoki!" **Sachiko announced.

"**Crap…" **Naho mumbled.

"**From St. Cruz.: Ran Kobayashi!" **Sachiko continued.

"**Well, this is not what I had signed up for," **Ran sighed.

"**From Byakudan: Mitsuki Yamamoto!" **Sachiko announced.

"**Me? Why me?" **Mitsuki questioned.

"**And finally, from Musashigawa: Nari Amatoya!" **Sachiko finished.

"**Oh, joy," **Nari sighed.

As the five girls walked up to Packer, he looked back at Sachiko with a questioning look.

"**Okay, Sachiko," **he said. **"What's the challenge?"**

"**You know where the Vincent Thomas Bridge is, correct?" **Sachiko asked.

"**I do. It's in Los Angeles," **Packer replied.

"**Well, you must make it there from your starting point in one hour," **Sachiko explained. **"In addition, if you are caught by the police, who will be chasing you the whole time, or if time runs out, you will fail the challenge. However, if you make it to the finish line marked at the end of the Vincent Thomas Bridge, you will win the challenge. Sound good?"**

"**Sounds good to me," **Packer replied. **"Let's do this."**

With that, he turned and walked through the fissure, with the chosen girls following suit.

* * *

Mitsuki, Nari, and Ran elected to sit in the back of the Mustang, while Naho sat in the passenger's seat. With nowhere else to sit, Seiko had no choice but to sit on Packer's lap in the driver's seat, which no doubt caused Packer to blush a bit.

"**Okay, we're ready to roll," **Naho said, putting her seat belt on. **"Let's get this over with."**

"**Roger that," **Packer replied, turning the key in the ignition. The clock mounted on the dashboard began to count down from '1:00:00', signifying they had one hour to complete the challenge. Once the car was fired, Packer put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking garage they had previously been in.

Knowing southern California like the back of his hand, Packer turned right and pulled out onto the street, but was surprised when a black car began heading straight for them.

"**Looks like it's starting early," **Packer grumbled. **"Hang on!"**

Swinging the car around and burning rubber, the Mustang zoomed down the street in the opposite direction, with the black car in hot pursuit.

Packer then turned down a one-way alley, a cat-like grin on his face.

"**Welcome to my neck of the woods, ladies," **he declared. **"So don't worry. I know this city like the back of my hand."**

"**You sure you can outrun the cops, Packer?" **Naho asked.

"**Watch me," **Packer answered, shifting into third gear.

"**_Unit 151 in pursuit of 2009 Ford Mustang, green."_**

Packer looked down at the CB radio attached to the center console.

"**I guess we got a radio that can tune into the police frequencies," **he surmised.

After getting to the end of the alley, Packer turned left onto the next road.

"**_Suspect traveling east on Fifth Street."_**

Coming to the next intersection, Packer maneuvered the car around other vehicles and made another left turn.

"**_Correction. Make that north on Main."_**

"**That car chasing us is relaying our position," **Naho said.

"**I know," **Packer replied.

As he raced down Main Street, Packer suddenly saw two police cars enter his field of vision in front of him, intent on blocking his path.

"**I don't suppose you have a way out of this, do you?" **Mitsuki asked.

Looking to his right, Packer noticed another alleyway that was unobstructed. Thinking fast, he turned the car expertly into the alley without losing much speed, causing a logjam of cars behind him and halting the black car's pursuit for now.

"**Wow, that was awesome!" **Nari exclaimed.

Packer grinned, until his Future Sight activated momentarily, causing him to gasp in surprise.

"**Packer, what's wrong?" **Seiko asked. Looking ahead, Packer gasped as a semi-truck began to pull into the alley, blocking their path. Thinking fast, Packer slammed on the brakes.

"**Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!" **Packer yelled. The girls screamed as the car came to a halt just inches from the semi.

"**Now what?" **Ran inquired.

Without hesitation, Packer shifted into reverse and began backing the car up, turning his head so he could see out the rear window. Nari couldn't help but notice the determination in his green eyes.

In the meantime, the black car managed to get free of the logjam and was now coming down the alleyway as well. A collision seemed inevitable.

"**You're nuts, Packer!" **Naho exclaimed.

Then, Packer noticed in his peripheral vision that a garage door in one of the buildings was open. Thinking fast, he turned the wheel and angled the car into the tiny hole, all while going backwards. The black car followed them in, as Packer maneuvered his way through the darkened garage. Coming out the other side still in reverse, he kept his foot on the gas, knowing that another semi was moving toward them in front of his car. He glanced toward the girls in the backseat and flashed them a smile momentarily before turning his attention back forward.

Slamming on the brakes, the semi also did the same, allowing Packer to maneuver the Mustang back into the proper lane. However, another police car was fast approaching them, sliding sideways to block their path. Thinking fast, Packer turned into yet another alleyway, only this one was full of cars on both sides as well as traffic. The cop had to slam on the brakes to prevent running into another car, allowing him to move in front. As they approached a busy cross-section, the girls screamed and held on tight as Packer drove the car across the busy roadway, hoping they wouldn't get t-boned by another car. Fortunately, they made it to the other side, which was not the case for the cop car, as it was hit by a bus, completely blocking the intersection. As the black car arrived, they saw the aftermath of the accident.

"**_Unit 151, Unit 3 involved in a TA at St. Vincent's and Seventh."_**

As the Mustang sped along, Naho glanced over at Packer, who didn't even flinch at the roadway crossing.

"**Did your Future Sight activate that time?" **she asked.

"**Nope," **Packer replied. **"We would've made it the whole time."**

As they drove down the road, two more police cars approached them head-on. Seeing no other option, Packer spun the car around and began racing back down the road in the opposite direction.

At this point, two more police cars were coming at him head-on, but Packer managed to maneuver through a gap between the cars and turned right into an aqueduct, the four police cars hot on his heels.

"**Why are we going down this way?" **Ran asked.

"**You'll see," **Packer replied.

"**_All units, pursuit has enter flood control adjacent to 710 Freeway."_**

"**_Requesting air unit, same location."_**

"**Now it's gonna get interesting," **Packer said.

Just then, a helicopter appeared above the chase.

"**_Air Two. We're over the pursuit. Suspects traveling southbound at 90 miles an hour."_**

Packer kept his eyes glued to what was out the windshield, even as the speedometer began to creep past 100 miles per hour.

"**_Stay with them, Air Two."_**

"**_I'm all over them."_**

"**I don't suppose you have a way out of this mess?" **Naho asked. Packer looked over at her and cracked a smile.

"**Indeed I do," **Packer replied, before reaching down and flipping a switch marked 'Nitrous'. **"You might want to hold onto something."**

Packer pressed the button to activate the nitrous, and all of a sudden, everyone felt like they were being sucked into their seats as the car accelerated in an instant, and continued to do so.

"**_Suspects have increased speed to 120… 140… 160… they're gone."_**

"**Ha!" **Packer laughed, as the numeric speedometer topped out at 185 miles per hour before he disengaged the nitrous. Slowing the car down gradually, he finally came to an opening in the aqueduct that led to a tunnel with which they were able to get back safely onto public roads.

* * *

With 25 minutes remaining, Packer pulled to a stop on a side road that was next to a bridge. Putting the vehicle in park, he let out a relieved sigh.

"**Well, we've bought ourselves a breather, but not much of one," **Packer said. **"With an APB and BOLOs out for us, it won't be long before they pick up our trail again."**

"**Well, we don't want to dawdle for too long," **Naho replied. **"We only have twenty-five minutes left in the challenge, and it's one we can't afford to lose. You do know where the finish line is, right?"**

"**Of course. This is my backyard, after all," **Packer replied.

Just then, Packer glanced up in the rearview mirror, and noticed a cop car getting ready to pull onto their street.

"**Uh-oh. Time to go!" **he yelled, putting the car back into drive and flooring the accelerator. Rear wheels spinning, they burned rubber down the street as the cop car began to chase after them.

"**_All units, be advised, suspect vehicle is now heading south on Henry Ford Boulevard."_**

"**These American cops are tenacious," **Nari admired.

"**You have no idea," **Packer replied.

"**Yeah, that cop is right on our ass," **Mitsuki said, looking back and noticing how close the cop was to them. Just then, two more patrols entered the chase. Packer looked up and recognized where they were.

"**We're at the South Harbor Shipyard," **Packer realized. **"Perfect."**

Naho looked over at Packer quizzically for a second, before deciding that it was best to trust in his judgment.

Packer took care not to hit any workers that were around, and just managed to fit himself in between a bulldozer and one of the gates leading into the shipyard.

Heading up an incline, Packer stepped on the brakes to slow the Mustang down. The car jumped as it reached the top, but was a much softer jump than it was going to be since Packer had slowed the car down. The police car tailing them wasn't as lucky as the speed it was carrying sent it high into the air and into the back of other bulldozer parked in the shipyard.

Packer continued to maneuver around moving equipment and other obstacles as he raced through the shipyard, the police hot on his heels. Just then, the helicopter rejoined the fray, relaying information down to the police cars below.

"**_Unit 151, suspects heading westbound. Head east to intercept."_**

"**Guess that black car tracked us down as well. This is gonna get hairy," **Packer said darkly.

"**_Unit 151, maintain your course. Suspects heading in your direction."_**

Just then, Packer could see the black car in front of him, blocking his path. Jerking the wheel to the left, he maneuvered the car onto a pier connected with the shipyard. Reaching the end of the pier, Packer turned the car back around and headed back toward the entrance to the pier.

"**_Unit 151, he's at the end of the pier, turning towards you."_**

Hearing this the black car sped onto the pier, but caused a shipyard worker to panic and lose his grip on a large industrial sized container full of gas. Hitting the ground and breaking the nozzle, it released the pressurized gas, sending it soaring into the air and through a sheet metal wall like a rocket. Coming back down onto the ground, it struck a police cruiser and spun it around.

As Packer raced down the pier, he noticed the chaos that was happening around the out-of-control canister and aimed his car at it.

"**Packer, what are you doing?" **Seiko asked worriedly.

"**Just watch," **Packer replied.

Seemingly with expert timing, Packer maneuvered the Mustang through an opening just as the canister blasted by. The black car was barely able to get by as well, but several police cars had been crippled by the canister.

With nerves of steel, Packer continued to race through the shipyard, dodging obstacles ranging from heavy equipment to workers to more police vehicles that were joining the chase. Then, with the black heading right toward them after they decided to take a detour to head them off, Packer maneuvered the car into a small opening between two buildings, keeping the chase alive as the black car and the rest of the police cruisers followed in hot pursuit.

Naho glanced over at Packer once more, admiring his concentration and his unprecedented driving skills, especially from someone so young.

"**You're a very good driver, Packer," **Naho complimented. Packer glanced over at her and smiled.

"**Thanks, Naho," **Packer replied as he turned his eyes back to the task at hand. Still dodging obstacles, he now found himself at the very edge of the pier, with a police car in hot pursuit. Glancing up, Seiko's eyes widened as she saw something that struck fear in her heart.

"**Packer!" **Seiko shouted, pointing out the window. Looking to where Seiko was pointing, Packer's eyes widened as he saw a wrecking ball heading right towards them.

"**Hang on!" **Packer shouted, stepping on the gas. Thanks to the horsepower that the Mustang was putting out, it was able to just barely dodge the wrecking ball, but the police car chasing behind wasn't so lucky, as the ball hit the car with enough force to send it through the wall it was intending to knock down. The police car was destroyed, but the driver was okay.

Taking advantage of the confusion, Packer was able to race out of the shipyard and back onto the highway. The only police unit that was able to keep up the chase at the moment was the helicopter, but Packer had an idea for slowing that down as well.

"**Well, we got rid of the cops chasing us, but that helicopter is still there," **Naho said. **"How are we gonna get away from it?"**

"**It's simple," **Packer replied. **"We're heading toward an airport, which is a restricted airspace. With any luck, they won't be able to cross it."**

As the car sped toward the underpass where the airfield was, the police chopper was doing what Packer thought they'd do.

"**_Long Beach Tower, this is LAPD Air Two, in pursuit of suspect. Requesting permission to cross airfield."_**

"**_Negative, Air Two. Incoming aircraft on approach. Hold your position."_**

Packer smiled over at Naho before dropping the hammer, speeding down the highway. Finally, after several minutes, they were at the Vincent Thomas Bridge. Just as they began to cross, Packer's cellphone rang. Activating his headset, Packer accepted the call.

"**Packer, here," **he said.

"**Packer, it's Rush," **Rush replied. **"Where are you at right now?"**

"**We're just now crossing over the Vincent Thomas Bridge," **Packer retorted.

"**Well, I hate to bring this up partner, but… you've got five minutes left, and you have a date with destiny on the other side of that bridge," **Rush said.

"**I know, but LA's finest have been chasing our ass through most of southern California," **Packer replied. **"Which is why it took so long to get to where we are now."**

"**How's the car running?" **Rush asked.

"**The car's running good," **Packer answered. **"I have a feeling our luck's about to change. We'll see you on the other side. Packer out."**

Switching the cellphone off, Packer refocused his attention out the windshield.

However, halfway across, they came to an accident scene, with several ambulances and tow trucks blocking the path to the other side. Allowing Seiko out so he could, Packer stepped out of the car to get a closer look, and noticed a tow truck with its flatbed angled down at the ground, like a ramp. Letting a smile grace his lips, he stepped back inside the car, with Seiko following suit.

"**Is there any way we can get across?" **Ran asked.

"**Maybe…" **Packer murmured, before putting the car in reverse and began backing up. However, their path was blocked as the black car and a platoon of police cars showed up, causing Packer to come to a stop. All the cops got out and pointed their pistols at the Mustang.

"**_Everyone in the Mustang get out with your hands up!"_**

"**Great. What are we gonna do now?" **Mitsuki asked, petrified. The other girls were visibly shaking as well.

Packer glanced forward and noticed the flatbed was still down. Letting out a small gasp, Packer gritted his teeth and stepped on the gas, racing toward the flatbed. All the girls suddenly looked back forward and realized what Packer was doing.

"**Packer, this is nuts!" **Seiko yelled.

"**I know," **Packer replied. **"But it's our only shot."**

Packer shifted several times to get the car into a higher gear, to build up as much speed as possible to make the jump. Just as they were about to hit the flatbed, Packer gritted his teeth.

"**_HANG ON!" _**he shouted.

The girls screamed as they tried to find something to hold onto as they hit the flatbed ramp, sending them soaring through the air and over the dozens of people and vehicles below them. Clearing everything, the car came down hard onto the ground and began to fishtail wildly. After several tense seconds, Packer was able to get the car back under control, and he let out a sigh of relief as they crossed the finish line to complete the challenge. The clock read '0:28', meaning they made it to the finish line with 28 seconds to spare.

"**We did it!" **Seiko shouted, sending the other girls into a cheering frenzy as Packer brought the car to a halt on the other side of the bridge.

After getting out, everyone noticed that a dimensional fissure had opened near them. Packer glanced over at the girls.

"**Well, looks like it's time to head back in," **Packer said. The girls definitely didn't want to, but they also didn't want to incur Sachiko's wrath, so they reluctantly followed Packer into the dimensional fissure.

When they emerged on the other side and back into the auditorium, the entire group was there to give them a standing ovation. Packer rubbed the back of his neck as he blushed at the attention he was receiving, before glancing over at Sachiko, who was smiling as well.

"**Well done, Packer Onii-Chan," **Sachiko said. **"That's two of my challenges you've completed thus far, but there are still three more for you to complete before I let everyone leave, and they're only going to get harder from here on out."**

"**I'll be ready," **Packer said with confidence.

"**All right, then," **Sachiko said, clapping her hands together. **"It's time for our next event! And it's gonna be a good one…"**

She let out a hearty laugh as everyone wondered what the next event was… and who was going to be in it.


End file.
